Australia - Barnaby Joyce: Let The Sick Use Pot

[CLICKHEREx]

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n484/a07.html?397


1 Jun 2014
Source: Sunday Telegraph, The (Australia)

Website: http://www.sundaytelegraph.news.com.au/

Author: Jane Hansen


JOYCE: LET THE SICK USE POT

THE campaign to ease the suffering of terminally ill patients by legalising medicinal cannabis is gaining momentum, with high-profile Nationals minister Barnaby Joyce adding his voice to the groundswell of support for cancer sufferer Dan Haslam.

Mr Joyce revealed he has had a change of heart from his usual tough stance on drugs after meeting 24-year-old Mr Haslam and his family, who are forced to break the law so that he can use cannabis to treat his severe pain and nausea from chemotherapy.

"You're always moved by someone who has cancer and they are looking for whatever opportunity may exist to deal with it," the federal minister for agriculture said.

Mr Haslam has incurable bowel cancer and fortnightly chemotherapy treatments had left him in hospital with severe nausea and weight loss. Since trying cannabis late last year he has not suffered nausea and has been able to remain at home and eat normally.

His father, Lou, a former drug squad detective, and his mother Lucy, are forced to break the law to help their son obtain the "miraculous" drug.

The family's plight has also moved senior police to come out in support of legalising cannabis for medical reasons.

Mr Joyce, the member for New England, said: "I am against cannabis for recreational use, but just as people grow opium for therapeutic use in palliative care and pain control, if there is a capacity for the active constituents in cannabis to be prescribed to assist with conditions such as terminal cancer, this should be considered if it is under strict control and prescribed by a doctor."

Last year the recommendations of a NSW parliamentary committee unanimously supported the use of cannabis for the terminally ill, but it was knocked back by Heath Minister Jillian Skinner over concerns about supply.

On Thursday, a private members' bill was announced to address the legality and supply issues of medicinal cannabis. Mr Haslam said he was grateful for the move and prayed for its success.

"It would be absolutely great and lift a huge stress off my family. Knowing we could be prosecuted has been stressful," he said.

Requests for a response from the ministers of the Baird government regarding the issue brought only five replies out of 22. Premier Mike Baird said he would consider the upcoming bill.

"We will give careful consideration to the bill and I have nothing but sympathy for the Haslam family as they struggle with their son's illness," he said.

A spokesman for the Minister for the Ageing and Disability, John Ajaka, referred us to the Minister for Health, as did a spokesman for the Minister for Natural Resources, Kevin Humphries.

Jillian Skinner reiterated her concerns about supply as the "quality and safety of these products cannot be guaranteed". However, she did support the use of "prescription pharmaceutical cannabis products that are approved and regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration".

Edited June 5, 2014 by CLICKHEREx

[DiscoStu]

caught between being pleased a prominent conservative federal cabinet member has come out in support of MMJ, but also concern at "prescription pharmaceutical cannabis products", inevitably to end up in the hands of Big Pharma™.

[waterboy 2.0]

looks like big pharma has the hooks in now.... It'll happen and they will fuck it...

[-RC-]

There's already Marinol and Sativex. Big Pharma HAS and is still sinking hooks further into the cannabis scenario.

[Francois le Danque]

Jillian Skinner reiterated her concerns about supply as the "quality and safety of these products cannot be guaranteed".

Then how do they manage in the countries where this already happens?