Medicinal cannabis campaigners and a millionaire investor have criticised governments for their approach to the so-called ‘ wonder drug ’ By Stephen Mudd http :// www . dailyadvertiser . com . au / story / 4375194 / cannabis-campaigners-criticise-trials-poll /
Clinical trials of medicinal cannabis will begin in NSW , but Narrandera medical marijuana advocate Rach Cregan said patients were unwilling to trade an illegal treatment that worked for a legal trial that might not .
“ The drug they ’ re trialling is missing the THC , that ’ s the essential ingredient that makes a difference ,” Ms Cregan said .
“ Terminal patients don ’ t want or need false hope , if they ’ re getting results with what they ’ re using , why would they change ?
“ Anyone who ’ s done the research can see where this trial is flawed , the government had the potential to take control of the black market but instead it ’ s backfired on the people who need it the most .”
NSW Minister for Medical Research Pru Goward announced clinical trials for up to 250 patients would begin in January . However , campaigners have called it a small step in a slow and cumbersome process that ignored the urgent needs of patients .
High-profile campaigner Lucy Haslam , who gave her son medicinal cannabis until he died from bowel cancer , said a more compassionate approach would be helpful .
“ I ’ m frustrated with how long this is taking , it ’ s not really looking after the patients at all ,” Mrs Haslam said .
“ The lack of humanity is shameful , if you let an animal suffer like this you ’ d be dragged over hot coals .
“ I ’ m contacted every day by people whose loved ones are going through hell and the fact that cannabis is still part of this ‘ war on drugs ’ is ridiculous .”
Proponents of medicinal cannabis point to a man named Rick Simpson , who claimed to cure himself of cancer with ‘ hemp oil ’ in 2003 , for proof of the drug ’ s healing properties . Mr Simpson allegedly found THC , the main psychoactive compound in cannabis , to be a miracle cure for cancer .
Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley , who unveiled the Australian Advisory Council on the Medicinal Use of Cannabis , said she believed in the product but not every doctor did , so she wanted to make sure medicinal cannabis went through the same drug testing process as any other drug .
“ Testing for the Therapeutic Goods Administration is massive and intense , it takes years ,” Ms Ley said . **********
Editor ’ s note : please refer to the end of this article for a statement made in November / December 2015 issue of ‘ the leaf ’ – total contradiction !!!
“ It ’ s appropriate to do it as quickly as possible but there ’ s always the special access scheme for terminally ill patients with no hope for treatment .
“ We want to see doctors be the centre of care for this drug .”
Earlier this month Australia ’ s largest medicinal cannabis grower , backed by BRW rich-lister Barry Lambert , decided to move to the US because of tight legal restrictions .