Government Pays Lip Service to Needs of Medical Cannabis Patients

The Government pays lip service to the needs of medical cannabis users by acknowledging its value as a medicine while refusing to allow clinical trials.

Spokesman for Auckland Greencross, Stephen McIntyre said the time for such double standards was over.

“There needs to be a registered database of patients created and the Law Commission’s recommendation of starting clinical trials for herbal cannabis accepted without delay.”

Yesterday, Peter Dunne announced that the Government is refusing to allow such clinical trials.

Mr McIntyre said that bona fide patients who have the acknowledgment and support of their doctors should never be treated as criminals; instead they should be given legal access to medicinal grade cannabis in whatever form they prefer.

“The pharmaceutical form of cannabis currently available here – Sativex – is difficult to apply for and prohibitively expensive for most people.”

“Furthermore, it’s not a case of one size fits all. People deserve options and most people prefer herbal cannabis over sprays and pills.”

“With herbal cannabis, potency and quality control can all be standardized in scientific greenhouses.”

“In addition, clinical trials can establish which local strains of cannabis are most useful at treating different conditions.”

McIntyre said he has met too many MPs who, while privately agreeing that cannabis should be legal for medical use, refuse to take a position publicly on the matter.

“Meanwhile, real people are suffering and not getting a fair go at all.”

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