A medical cannabis campaigner claims the NSW Government has missed the point of the wonder drug.
Premier Mike Baird has announced cannabis-based medicines that were previously only able to be used in clinical trials in NSW can now be considered by doctors for patients who have exhausted standard treatment options.
However, Griffith veterinary nurse Kelly Cameron said Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO), a ‘natural’ version of the drug regarded as the most effective form of cannabis for treatment, was off the table while synthetic forms manufactured by pharmaceutical companies were being pushed.
“They’re heavily promoting products from pharmaceutical companies and not the plant-based oils,” Ms Cameron said. “It’s a plant, just let us grow it.”
Minister for Medical Research Pru Goward said NSW was regulating cannabis-based medicines in the same way as any other emerging medicine.
“Patients wishing to investigate the use of cannabis-based medicines will need to talk with their doctor about suitability,” Ms Goward said.
“There is still a lot to learn about safety and efficacy for different patient conditions and groups.”
Ms Cameron said the government was going down the wrong path with the drugs.
“It’s a small step but it’s almost a kick in the teeth for families who need this drug,” she said.
“Mike Baird is again ‘peacocking’ around but in reality it’s nearly impossible to work out what can and can’t be an illness to qualify for medical cannabis.”

 

reference:The Daily Advertiser

 

 Firstly, we need a referendum on whether cannabis should be decriminalised nationally, this needs to be done now!
Ms Goward, cannabis can't be treated the "same way as any other emerging medicine", we are talking about the third most popular recreational drug on the planet after alcahol and tobacco and it's the safest as far as I've researched, are you aware of the research of Professor David Nutt Ms Goward ? contracted by the UK health department?
A regulated market is great and necessary, but this is not a dangerous plant, aspirin is more dangerous.
I ask you this question Miss Goward; Do you trust anyone more than yourself? why such stringent regulations, please provide scientific data of the daners of cannabis, the overdoses and other made-up health issues.
Oh yeah, and are we the only country that actually follows the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs treaty? U.S.A doesn't seem to, and Canada, lets just use common sense and have a referendum.

Steve
MMA