To borrow S Paterson's line. Anyone thinking of voting ‘no' to legalising recreational cannabis should look at the data.

Being from Colorado, USA I can speak first-hand of the overall success that the five plus years of cannabis reform has brought to the State.

Of the eleven states now with legalised marijuana, the benefits have far outweighed the negatives.

As with any consumable substance there is inherent harm that follows abuse. Too much sugar, too much alcohol, too much fat in your diet.

According to Colorado local media outlets, kdvr.com and The Boulder Weekly, Colorado has seen a decline in teen use, while the only fuel for the black market has been the fact that in neighbouring states cannabis is still prohibited.

Additionally, wholesale prices steadily declined - going from around $4000 per pound in 2014 to $800 per pound in 2019.

Domestic violence rates have dropped, along with the over criminalisation and incarceration of minorities.

I haven't even started in on the many, many medical benefits that THC/CBD (active ingredients in cannabis) contain. Tax revenues have ensured record funding for schools and roads.

Now more than ever, with a global recession looming, do we really want to pass on an industry that could be employing generous numbers of Kiwi's while increasing our ability to improve our infrastructure?

By the way, you don't have to smoke cannabis to enjoy its many benefits so smoke-free by 2025 can still happen!

A Brown, Bethlehem