NSW Premier Mike Baird rolls up on legal medicinal cannabis

[CLICKHEREx]

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/premier-mike-baird-rolls-up-on-legal-medicinal-cannabis-he-would-support-his-family-using-it-if-they-were-terminally-ill/story-fnii5s3x-1226998015806 *

Premier Mike Baird rolls up on legal medicinal cannabis: He would support his family using it if they were terminally ill

• 18 hours ago July 23, 2014 1:10AM

Terminally ill Dan Haslam with his wife Alyce. Source: News Corp Australia

THE legalisation of medicinal cannabis in NSW looks ­increasingly likely with political leaders backing the idea and Premier Mike Baird confirming he would support his wife and children using marijuana if they were terminally ill.

Mr Baird, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and opposition leader John Robertson last night indicated provisional support for legalising the drug for medicinal purposes, so long as key concerns over regulation and supply are ­addressed. The Greens also support it.

The move comes after Mr Baird spent an hour with ­cancer patient Daniel Haslam, 24, who was told in 2010 he had only months to live.

Mr Haslam’s plight was ­revealed recently in The ­Sunday Telegraph.

READ DAN HASLAM’S STORY HERE

Dan Haslam / Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

His retired-nurse mum Lucy and father Lou, a former head of Tamworth’s police drug squad, started buying him cannabis and insist it has helped him fight the disease.

“The Premier related to our story and told us that if it was his wife or children, he’d want it available for them,” Ms ­Haslam said.

“He said he supported us and I think he sees it as an ­opportunity for NSW to lead.”

Tamworth MP Kevin ­Anderson will table a private member’s bill next month to make it legal for registered terminally ill patients or their authorised carers to possess up to 15g of cannabis.

Coalition MPs will not get a conscience vote.

Mr Baird said he was struck by Daniel’s “determination and courage” but raised concerns about the supply and regulation of medicinal cannabis. A spokesman for Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner said he supported the concept but had the same concerns as Mr Baird.

Mr Robertson said: “I ­acknowledge there remains practical and regulatory issues that need to be worked through in this area.”

The NSW Nursing and Midwives’ Association and the Cancer Council supports the drug’s use for medicinal ­purposes.

The Australian Medical ­Association has acknowledged cannabis’s “therapeutic potential” but says more research is needed.

Premier Mike Baird. Source: News Corp Australia

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you support legalising medicinal marijuana? Tell us below

Originally published as Medicinal cannabis in NSW looking more likely

Comment on this story *

[-RC-]

5- 10 years.

Legal in all states to varying degrees, with licensed retail availability.

First state to reform cannabis laws for recreational use will be the richest Australian state into the next decade.

Thus spake Responsilthustra.

[SayN]

I think it's brilliant that Andrew Stoner is lending his support. That is gold.

But seriously, Dan Haslam's story is heartbreaking. And the response by the government and the AMA regarding the "side-effects" of marijuana simply defy logic. Triple J did a story on Hack about it and another poor child back in April http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/stories/s3994476.htm. It had me in tears as I was driving home from work.

And don't think for a minute I'm suggesting that marijuana is "harmless". It does, however, have a long history of use and I personally think it's just as "safe" as driving to the local shops when used responsibly.

[DiscoStu]

the ama disparages anything that doesn't come out of Big Pharma though

[shortly]

And don't think for a minute I'm suggesting that marijuana is "harmless". It does, however, have a long history of use and I personally think it's just as "safe" as driving to the local shops when used responsibly.

You obviously have not been anywhere near my local shops lately, the traffic is so bad & the fights over spaces are so vicious the only safe way to drive would be in an APC.

Seriously australia really is going full retard trying to preserve good rightwing victorian values. The dead queen not the state that was named after her, although they dont seem that far apart at present.

Still i guess it just means when the winds of change blow the shift will just be that much more dramatic.

Politicians are only concerned with the party line & their corporate benefactors, they couldn't give a flying fuck about their "constituents" or their suffering, they only see "if we allow this the medical industry stands to lose billions".

[SayN]

Please consider signing the petition over on change.org:

https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/jillian-skinner-decriminalise-the-use-of-medicinal-cannabis-for-people-with-terminal-cancer-like-my-son

Note: please bear in mind that change.org seems to be a double-edged sword and signing the petition may open a floodgate of spam! Still, I think in this case it may be worth it.

Edited July 31, 2014 by CrayZ

[Strontium Dawg]

Well I just had a personal response from my local member who I have been "lobbying"... So at least the issue is being put before parliament soon. I honestly never thought I'd see this happen.

[CLICKHEREx]

Please consider signing the petition over on change.org:

https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/jillian-skinner-decriminalise-the-use-of-medicinal-cannabis-for-people-with-terminal-cancer-like-my-son

Note: please bear in mind that change.org seems to be a double-edged sword and signing the petition may open a floodgate of spam! Still, I think in this case it may be worth it.

I tried and failed, probably due to a Javascript problem. It can be helpful to have disposable email addresses at places like hotmail, to minimise spam.