[Greens-Media] Media release: Greens lay down challenge on medicinal cannabis with new bill

[John Kaye]

Greens lay down challenge on medicinal cannabis with new bill

Media release: 18 November 2014

Greens NSW MP John Kaye will this week introduce a new medicinal cannabis bill into the NSW parliament to address the failure of Premier Mike Baird's timid and unworkable attempts.

('NSW Greens' medical cannabis plan would allow epileptic children access', Sydney Morning Herald 18 November 2014, http://j.mp/smh141118)

Dr Kaye's second bill responds to concerns raised by members of the community that a wider range of people should safely benefit from medicinal cannabis. It also addresses the Premier's challenge to deal with the issue of supply by creating a mechanism for a state government agency to grow and supply to registered patients.

Dr Kaye said: "The Greens are challenging all political parties to put aside the timidity and misinformation that has stopped NSW adopting a compassionate and rational approach to medical cannabis.

"Our bill shows that it is possible to provide relief from pain and suffering for thousands without creating additional recreational drug users.

"Premier Mike Baird dashed hopes that NSW was embarking on a path to an enlightened approach to medicinal cannabis.

"In September he punted the difficult issue of supply off to a secretive committee to develop a clinical trial.

"He rejected last year's Upper House committee's recommendation to provide legislated protection to registered patients.

"The terminally ill will still be at risk of prosecution if they seek some relief from their symptoms by using cannabis.

"Premier Baird's clinical trials will take years to conduct and will be expensive. Without a drug company to sponsor it, there is little likelihood of any useful outcome.

"Years will pass by before there is any progress towards a solution.

"The medical use of cannabis is thousands of years old and does not need clinical testing to prove it provides safe and  effective relief from pain and suffering.

"The Greens bill would maintain careful regulation with each patient and their carer registered.

"We have responded to heart-rending representations from parents of children with epilepsy that does not respond to traditional drugs.

"Under the strictest of conditions, the Greens bill will allow parents to administer cannabis to their children but only with the approval of three treating doctors, including one with expertise in childhood epilepsy.

"Politicians can no longer turn their backs on parents forced to break the law rather than watch helplessly as their children are wracked by terrible fits.

"It will take a little political courage, but a much higher quality of life for these children and their parents is possible," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Background: The Greens' Drug Legislation Amendment (Cannabis for Medical Purposes) Bill 2014 will be introduced to the NSW Parliament on Wednesday 18 November:


*         Provides legislated protection from prosecution for registered patients and their carers to possess restricted amounts (15 g) of cannabis


*         Authorises registration of medical cannabis patients for a wider range of medical conditions than just terminal illnesses. This includes nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, neuropathic pain and conditions determined by medical partitioners.


*         Allows registered patients and their carers to maintain up to 6 mature cannabis plants.



*         Allows the state government to establish and operate facilities for growing, processing and supplying medicinal cannabis. State-owned unincorporated agencies are not subject to federal regulation that could indefinitely delay the implementation of a compassionate regime of supply.



*         Under strictly regulated circumstances, allows registered parents and guardians to supply cannabis to children suffering from intractable epilepsy. Conditions include the approval of three medical practitioners at least one of whom is an expert in childhood epilepsy

Copies of the Bill<http://www.johnkaye.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/141117_medi-cannabis-bill-v2.pdf> and a comparison to the Baird-Grant government's approach available here<http://www.johnkaye.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/br141105_Medicinal-cannabis-table-of-comparison.pdf>.

John Kaye

Greens NSW MP
P: (02) 9230 2668 | F: facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc<http://www.facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc> | T: @johnkgreens<twitter.com/johnkgreens> | W: www.johnkaye.org.au<http://www.johnkaye.org.au/>

John Kaye's office is proudly 100% unionised and union-active.

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