Do you think people should be allowed to own certain snake species?

Actually, Tajnz, in most states in the US, it is legal to own most species, and, with the exception of hawaii, there is no other state that bans personal ownership of snakes altogether.

I'm pretty sure the reason snakes are banned as pets in NZ, as well as Hawaii, is that there are no native species of snakes whatsoever, so most of the rest of the wildlife has adapted in ways that don't take snake predation into account. As well as the fact there are no other predators that have evolved preying on snakes. Island chains like yours are concerned they'll have the same fate as Guam, which had no native snake species, and now has a thick population of brown tree snakes, which all but destroyed most of the native bird species. So the main concern there is the impact on the local ecology if a few snakes escape and start breeding.

As for whether I think snakes should be allowed as pets here? I obviously do. I am in favor of sane regulations in certain places on certain species, but Ohio is preparing to pass some legislation that I am completely unamused with, and will be all but impossible to enforce, practically speaking, without a boatload of money spent.