Talking smack: The heroin-using professor promoting drug use 11 minutes to read By: Andrew Anthony A US professor has accused researchers of overstating the harms of recreational drugs and admitted to regular heroin use. Have we let fearmongering dictate drug policy in New Zealand? By Andrew Anthony. When New Zealanders narrowly voted last November against the legalisation of cannabis, it caused at least a temporary halt in the debate on liberalising drug laws. Given the closeness of the gap (just 2.3 percentage points), the issue is not going to go away. But it's unlikely that there will be much appetite for legalising all drugs any time soon.