[Greens-Media] Media release - Medicinal cannabis trial no substitute for meaningful reform: Greens

[Colleen.Hartland at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Will be quoting from this during debate today

Sent from my iPhone

On 14/10/2014, at 12:42 PM, "Blyberg, Andrew (Sen R. Di Natale)"
<Andrew.Blyberg at aph.gov.au> wrote:

> Media Release
>
> Dr Richard Di Natale
> Greens Health Spokesperson
>
> 14/10/2014
>
> Medicinal cannabis trial no substitute for meaningful reform: Greens
>
> Australian Greens health spokesperson and Co-convenor of the
Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy and Law Reform, Dr Richard Di Natale,
said today that a medicinal cannabis trial falls short of the reform we
need.
>
> "I welcome the fact that every government in the country now recognises
that we need to change our approach to medicinal cannabis but a trial alone
is not enough," said Senator Di Natale, a former GP.
>
> "Of course we should continue to trial the efficacy of medicinal cannabis
for conditions where there is emerging anecdotal evidence but a trial
shouldn't stop people from accessing it where we already have sufficient
evidence.
>
> "There is already overwhelming international evidence that medicinal
cannabis can provide relief from conditions like nausea, pain and muscle
spasms. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have been needlessly denied
access to this kind of medical relief for far too long.
>
> "Medicinal cannabis should be made available for those conditions where
it has been proven to be effective now, without delay, without a trial.
>
> "In the next sitting fortnight I intend to introduce a bill that would
establish an independent body to regulate supply, distribution and access
to medicinal cannabis, using the existing body of evidence.
>
> "The Prime Minister said himself that 'something that's been found to be
safe in a reliable jurisdiction shouldn't need to be tested here again'. So
I'm calling on Mr Abbott to show some real leadership and get behind my
bill so that we can, to use his words again, cut through the 'thicket of
complexity, bureaucracy and corporate and institutional self-interest'."
>
> Media contact: Andrew Blyberg 0457 901 600
>
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