Now onto Medicinal Cannabis Law reform Enough talk, medicinal cannabis law reform needed urgently Media release: 12 January 2015 The NSW Government and Opposition should stop arguing over trials for medicinal cannabis and change the laws for the sake of seriously ill patients, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. Dr Kaye said: The time for talk is over. Patients who would benefit from the use of medicinal cannabis are missing out because of inaction and the delaying tactics of both the Coalition and Labor. Neither of the major parties has committed to taking the steps required to adequately respond to this important issue. The Liberals and Nationals flawed attempt is to introduce time-consuming and unnecessary clinical trials and unworkable police guidelines. Labor at least understands the Greens concerns about Premier Mike Bairds approach. However both parties are confusing crude cannabis and pharmaceutical products derived from the plant. Crude cannabis, including leaf, oil and resin, has been around for thousands of years. They are not novel substances and do not need clinical trials. Health Minister Jillian Skinner is hiding behind the clinical trials to make sure that there is no real action on crude cannabis. She knows that any trial would not produce outcomes until 2020, which is far too late for people suffering from chronic pain, nausea from chemotherapy, muscular pain from cerebral palsy and debilitating and untreatable childhood epilepsy. The key issue is supply and both Labor and the Coalition are avoiding answering the hard questions. In December of last year, I introduced a bill that solved the supply issue and went well beyond the issue of the terminally ill. We responded to the growing body of existing evidence of the usefulness of crude cannabis products for many other conditions. Any further delay to medicinal cannabis law reform in NSW will see tens of thousands of patients suffer needlessly or risk prosecution in order to seek relief from their symptoms. If NSW Labor is serious about medicinal cannabis reform they will vote for our legislation when parliament resumes after the March state election, said Dr Kaye. For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 Further information is available in the Greens Drug Legislation Amendment (Cannabis for Medical Purposes) Bill 2014 and John Kayes 2nd reading speech introducing the bill to parliament. John Kaye
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:23:55 +0000
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