The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Country: New Zealand

Delegate: Polina Sobakina
Topic A: The question of legalizing non-synthetic drugs

Drugs have been familiar to people for several thousand years. They were consumed by
people of different cultures, for different purposes: during religious rituals, to restore
strength, to change consciousness, to relieve pain and unpleasant sensations. Already in
the pre-writing period, we have evidence that people knew and used psychoactive
chemicals: alcohol and plants, the consumption of which affects consciousness.
Currently, the volume of drug use is simply huge, and the policy of most countries is aimed
at combating drugs through restrictive measures against the distribution of drugs.
However, recently many countries have begun to rethink the old position and have decided
to legalize non-synthetic drugs to some extent. New Zealand is concerned about the
attitude of other countries to such a serious problem as drug addiction and is interested in
participating in this debate in order to prevent the legalization of non-synthetic drugs in any
form.

According to the Oxford dictionary definition, a drug is “a medicine or other substance

which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body”.
These physiological effects carry a lot of negative consequences, such as
unconsciousness of actions, addiction, health problems up to death, social and economic
crisis in the country, etc. Making the use of non-synthetic drugs legal will definitely
increase the number of its users, because they will be easy to get and, as a result, many
people who would never even try them if they were forbidden (because it is quite
problematic for people who are not involved in all this "party topic” to get them as you need
to find dealers and get involved with the illegal markets), will try them, because when it
constantly surrounds you, the temptation is very high.
Also, the widespread use of drugs normalizes their use in the eyes of society. Usually,
prohibition creates a barrier in people's minds and makes them think twice before breaking
it and if we legalize drugs, then no one will see anything wrong with it and everyone will
use substances.
Besides, it is important to understand that if we legalize the use of non-synthetic drugs, we
will also “legalize” the use of synthetic drugs, because people always want more and
usually after taking natural drugs they start taking something new, “interesting” and
“stronger”. As we know, synthetic drugs are much more harmful and kill people much
faster, so their usage is not acceptable for us.

In New Zealand, it is an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to use, possess,
cultivate or traffic in illegal drugs. However, as a country with many ports, illegal drugs from
overseas do get through our borders. We class them by risk:

Class A (very high risk) drugs include methamphetamine, magic mushrooms, cocaine,
heroin, and LSD (Acid).
Class B (high risk) drugs include cannabis oil, hashish, morphine, opium, ecstasy and
many amphetamine-type substances.
Class C (moderate risk) drugs include cannabis seed, cannabis plant, and codeine.

New Zealand stands for prohibition of non-synthetic drugs, which we can achieve by
harsher penalties or mandatory surprise drug tests, but we perfectly understand that there
always will be a black market. On December 7, 2021 we presented a possible solution for
this problem by legalizing drug safety testing. Parliament passed a decision to that effect.
Thanks to the innovation, citizens will be able to check the quality of illicit substances at
music festivals and make this option available to vulnerable groups in urban clinics, along
with other services. Local human rights advocates say the new regulations will help reduce
harm and deaths from substandard substances.
In February, a report came out testing the new screening system. It showed 68 percent of
those surveyed reported changing their behavior after testing: they either got rid of the
substances or followed harm-reduction guidelines.
In conclusion, New Zealand believe that legalizing of non-synthetic drugs is unacceptable
and we will stand against it to the end. We will not make any amendments to our
constitution, except for stricter rules and penalties concerning this subject, but of course
we will not refuse to help and treat people trapped in addiction. We are well aware that the
future of every country is its people and therefore we want to do everything for their well-
being and happiness, while drugs have the opposite negative aim and, therefore, are not
allowed in our country.