EIGHT LABOUR MPs VOTE AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

Greg O'Connor: In 2017 he said that medicinal marijuana was a "no brainer".

Martyn Bradbury of The Daily Blog downplays that eight Labour MP's voted against Chloe Swarbrick's pharmaceutical medicinal marijuana bill - including former Police Association boss Greg O'Connor and Bradbury's old mate Willie Jackson. 

IN FEBRUARY OF last year former Police Association boss Greg O'Connor, writing on The Standard, declared he was in favour of pharmaceutical medicinal marijuana, labelling it a "no-brainer". He wrote:

"For me, pharmaceutical medical marijuana is a no-brainer. I go with the theory that if doctors can prescribe morphine-based products, they can be trusted with cannabis-based ones".

However in Parliament last night he voted against Chloe Swarbrick's medicinal cannabis bill saying it would lead to a cannabis market “with the medical profession as gatekeepers”.

He was one of eight Labour MPs who joined the National Party and New Zealand First MPs in voting the Green Party MP's bill down at the first reading - 47 votes to 73.

But O'Connor's change of heart, now that he is safely ensconced in Parliament, has not been mentioned by Martyn Bradbury, editor of The Daily Blog, and a supporter of the bill.

Willie Jackson and Martyn Bradbury.

Bradbury, a Labour supporter, pours scorn on the "disgusting parasites without any spine, guts or stones" who voted against the bill. 

However much of his wrath is reserved for the National Party and, in particular, Chris Bishop MP - a former lobbyist for the tobacco industry.

If O'Connor's political duplicity is not mentioned by Bradbury so is the fact that his old mate, Willie Jackson, also voted against the bill. They co-hosted the Waatea 5th Estate interview show on Face TV in 2016.

Note: The eight Labour MP's who voted against the bill were Jenny Salesa, Poto Williams, Meka Whatiri, Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki, Stuart Nash, Greg O'Connor, Peeni Henare and Willie Jackson.