Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party

Bhang is a derivative of the leaf and flower of a female cannabis plant. It is used for making beverages and sometimes is smoked. Certain erotic drawings from the Mughal period of India depict a couple copulating while smoking bhang to enhance their enjoyment.

The ALCP was founded in 1996. It has never won representation in Parliament, although managed to win 1.66% of the vote in the 1996 elections. Its support has declined somewhat since that point, however - in the 1999 elections, it won 1.10% of the vote, and in the 2002 elections, it won only 0.64%. Some of this decline may be attributed to the rise of the Green Party as an independent entity - the Greens also support the reform of drug laws, but are considered to be a more viable party. Two Green MPs, Nandor Tanczos and Metiria Turei, were ALCP candidates in 1996. It has occasionally been suggested that the ALCP should dissolve, and that its members should transfer their support to the Greens - the party's leader, Michael Appleby, raised such a possibility in early 2002. The party remains in existence, however, and contested the by-election in Te Tai Hauauru in mid 2004 - with their candidate, Dun Mihaka, receiving 197 votes (2.52%).

They contested the 2005 general election, winning 0.23% of the vote. Some critics argued that their stance temporarily cost the Green Party its List MP Nandor Tanczos, due to diversion of votes from the pro-reform Greens. However, given the sudden death of Green co-leader Rod Donald, Tanczos returned to Parliament. It might be argued, however, that ALCP support still cost the Greens an additional list seat, and adversely affected their ability to form a pro-reform post-electoral coalition with Helen Clark and her New Zealand Labour Party.

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