Victoria moves closer to medicinal cannabis use

Victoria is set to become the first state in Australia to legalise cannabis for medical use.

Victoria moves closer to medicinal cannabis use

Victoria moves closer to medicinal cannabis use

In a controversial plan, the Andrews government is taking steps to make the drug available for terminally ill people.

 

While many are welcoming the move, others are deeply sceptical, calling for more research into the long-term effects of medicinal cannabis use.

 

In a national first, the use of medicinal cannabis could soon be legal in Victoria.

 

The state government has announced plans to embark on what it says is Australia's first-ever cannabis cultivation trial.

 

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is delivering on an election commitment to make medicinal cannabis available for terminally ill people.

 

The trial is based on a report by the Victorian Law Reform Commission, which recommends the drug be used in what it calls "exceptional circumstances", to treat conditions including multiple sclerosis, cancer, AIDS, and epilepsy.

 

Victorian Greens MP Colleen Hartland welcomes the move.

 

She says there are a number of illnesses that have been shown to respond well to cannabis as a treatment.

 

"There are particular types of epilepsy and where children may be having multiple seizures in any day. It's very good in end of life situations where people have pain or nausea and there some chronic pain conditions that I understand it can be benefit."



Dr Matthew Large is from the School of Pyschiatry at the University of New South Wales.

 

He's concerned the dangers of cannabis use are being overlooked.

 

"There is no medical condition to which cannabis is a superior treatment an established treatments. My fear is that in the midst of all our enthusiasm for cannabis, the real dangers of cannabis that are much well-documented will be lost. "

 

Dr Large says while cannabis may be show signs of easing suffering for those with a chronic illness, he'd like to see more concrete evidence on the effectiveness of the drug.

 

"I'm sure that their experiences are true and that they're not lying and what have you. But that isn't the standard by which we regulate medicines in this country. If the standards for regulation of medicine in this country is going to be, I've used it and it seems to work then we may as well go back to leeches and bleeding and abandon the whole evidence based medicine enterprise."

 

But Ms Hartland says the plan is to have a system that is well regulated.

 

She says the drug will have to be prescribed by a specialist and dispensed by a chemist.

 

"We not talking about people just growing and smoking it because in fact that wouldn't have health benefits, it would cause a lot of danger. So we are talking about something that will be well regulated but clearly it also needs to be tested. "

 

Trials of the drug are due to begin next year and legalisation is expected to take effect in 2017.

 

It will need the support of the federal Government before it goes ahead.

 






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3 min read
Published 8 October 2015 7:04pm
Updated 8 October 2015 8:00pm

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