CLICKHEREx Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) 8 Jul 2014Source: Mercury, The (Australia)Website: http://www.themercury.com.au/Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/193Author: Blair RichardsPOT PROBE TO CREATE HUGE STIRA PARLIAMENTARY inquiry into legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes is expected to receive a huge response when it opens for submissions this week.A major Tasmanian poppy processor yesterday voiced support for a trial despite the State Government citing poppy industry opposition as one of the reasons for opposing any trials.TPI Enterprises managing director Jarrod Ritchie said yesterday he could not understand the Government's logic.The Cressy-based company makes poppy straw concentrate.Mr Ritchie said he could not understand why poppy growers' representatives would oppose a Tasmanian trial."Given the expertise we have with narcotics, which it could be argued are more dangerous than medicinal hemp or THC, I would be surprised that we wouldn't at least look at it," Mr Ritchie said."There's already an industry globally . . . Canada and the UK are already producing it. This is another own goal for Tasmania. Someone will do it, whether it's another state or another country, why wouldn't we do it?"Independent MLC Ruth Forrest said the announcement of the Legislative Council inquiry had already generated a significant response, mostly in favour of a trial.Ms Forrest said the issue was well worth exploring in detail.She said some people were concerned about the idea of a trial because they thought it would involve a move to legalise cannabis for recreational use.Premier Will Hodgman said the Legislative Council had every right to hold an inquiry but the Government was sticking by its decision not to hold a trial.http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n566/a10.html?397 __________________________________________________________________________ 08 Jul 2014Source: Mercury, The (Australia)Website: http://www.themercury.com.au/Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/193Author: Alex WodakNote: Dr Alex Wodak, AM, is emeritus consultant for the Alcohol andDrug Service at St Vincent's Hospital, a visiting fellow at the KirbyInstitute, UNSW, and president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. IDEAL STATE FOR CANNABIS CROPTasmania Has a Unique Opportunity to Grow Medicinal Cannabis for Other States, Writes Dr Alex WodakIN the 1960s, Daniel Grinspoon, the teenage son of a Harvard university psychiatry professor, developed acute leukaemia.Unfortunately, Daniel developed severe nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy. All of the latest treatments were tried but nothing helped stop or even reduce poor Daniel's persistent nausea and vomiting.Someone suggested to Professor Grinspoon that cannabis might work. And it did.Professor Grinspoon then started doing research on medicinal cannabis.His work helped increase interest in medicinal cannabis in the US and other countries.In 2014 in Australia, a 24-year-old man with terminal bowel cancer, also called Daniel, developed severe nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy only helped by cannabis.Daniel's case attracted local, state and then national media attention.About 20 countries now allow medicinal cannabis to be used to relieve distressing symptoms in a range of serious medical conditions.Australia used to allow medicinal cannabis to be used but this was stopped some decades ago.Medicinal cannabis is generally only used when the conventional medicines have not worked or have produced unacceptable side effects.As far as we know at present, cannabis does not cure any conditions.Although a lot of research has been conducted on the potential harms of recreational cannabis, hardly any research has been carried out in the US or Australia on possible benefits of medicinal cannabis.Fortunately, the Europeans have been carrying out research on medicinal cannabis.Researchers pay the greatest attention to ( controlled ) studies where an experimental drug is given to one group while the control group only gets standard treatment 82 favourable controlled studies have been published ( in half a dozen medical conditions ) while only nine unfavourable studies have been reported.This is quite impressive evidence. In these and other studies, the side effects of medicinal cannabis were relatively minor.The main conditions shown to benefit from cannabis include persistent nausea and vomiting after cancer chemotherapy, severe weight loss from cancer or AIDS, severe chronic non-cancer pain ( especially if due to nerve damage ) and stiffness in multiple sclerosis.A few weeks ago Mike Baird, the New South Wales Premier, suggested he might support a Private Member's Bill for medicinal cannabis.So a group of New South Wales MPs is visiting Tasmania this week to investigate the possibility that the island state could supply medicinal cannabis for New South Wales.Tasmania has a proven track record of securely producing opium poppies for decades.Access to Tasmania is easy to monitor so this also suggests that the island state would be an ideal supplier. Tasmania's record as a quality food producer is another advantage.Recreational cannabis is usually taken by smoking. But this is not the best way to take medicinal cannabis.Inhaling the vapour produced from gentle heating is the best way of taking medicinal cannabis.Not much is known scientifically about cannabis taken by swallowing liquid forms of the drug although some advocate this method vigorously.Sativex is a new pharmaceutical preparation sprayed on the inside of the mouth. But Sativex is only approved in Australia for one condition ( stiffness in multiple sclerosis ), is unobtainable at present and the likely cost is unaffordable for most ( $800 a month ).Ideally, medicinal cannabis should be available nationally. But it is likely to start in only one state or territory before it spreads across the country.If approved, it is likely to start in a fairly restricted way. Evaluation will then enable policy makers to consider the need for liberalising the conditions.These days, health policy and practice is increasingly based on evidence. But there is also a case for compassionate consideration in some desperate cases where few or no studies have been carried out.It is much better for everyone if independent doctors make these decisions involving individual cases rather than politicians. Technical experts regulate other drugs, not politicians and technical experts should also regulate medicinal cannabis.A compassionate country like Australia should have sorted this out long ago.The Tasmanian Government has announced that it does not support the establishment of a medicinal cannabis industry in this state, but has not explained why.Other jurisdictions are now likely to seize this opportunity. Not only will they be helping many Australians in need, they will also create a new and invaluable industry on their hands to support medical research and, vitally, growth and employment.If Daniel were our son, or brother, or father, would we not also demand medicinal cannabis whatever the law says?Surely it's time that we sorted this out so that Daniel can get the relief he needs without having to worry about being a criminal. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n566/a09.html?397 Edited July 10, 2014 by CLICKHEREx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brooa Posted July 10, 2014 man our government is so out of touch/corrupt if they cant even see to benefits of mj. so much tax, jobs, people off the dole etc. just going to organised crime.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
complex Posted July 10, 2014 Hopefully Australian laws begin following the lead of the many US states in allowing medical cannabis, and then even allowing recreational cannabis to be purchased as in colarado, and more recently washinton. It just feels like a waiting game now :/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-RC- Posted July 11, 2014 Bahahahaha. "Given the expertise we have with narcotics, which it could be argued are more dangerous than medicinal hemp or THC, I would be surprised that we wouldn't at least look at it," Mr Ritchie said. Yes sir, it could be argued opiates are more dangerous than cannabis. So funny. Also love that bit about concern that recreational cannabis might follow on from medical. OF COURSE IT WILL YOU DUMB FUCKS! THAT'S THE POINT. Money makes the world go round, each state wants to be the one to get Colorado-type tax revenue, and the way to do that is LEGALISE COMPLETELY. Our Yank masters have given our fucking bitch-arse politicians the green light now. I've said it before, and will again. It's a numbers game. No compassion involved, just dollars. The end is nigh, and fuck all your moral judgements and unfounded, propaganda fueled concerns and misgivings. 5 - 10 years and it will be all over red rover. The race is on, and the first state to legalise completely will be the richest in the country. Which state doesn't want that? Guess I better make a website about flouridation now... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CLICKHEREx Posted July 11, 2014 Yesterday evening on "The Project", all the presenters came out in favour of medical cannabis, but as long as there is a conservative coalition in power, it will probably only be approved in a highly restricted form, at least, at first, to people on chemotherapy, epileptics, and others with seizures, etc., and probably be CannaBiDiol based, with no, or little TetraHydroCannabinol. When more US states legalise sales, and there is a Labor govt., we will have a much better chance of first, full decriminalisation, but even then I expect they'll still pursue the dealers. Taxed, legal sales; very litte chance in the foreseeable future, but I hope I'm wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
