Inquiry Shows Urgent Need For Medicinal Marijuana Law Change

Green MP Nandor Tanczos said that after only two days, the evidence presented to the Select Committee Inquiry into Cannabis showed the laws prohibiting medicinal marijuana must be changed immediately.

Last week the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand acknowledged the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for a wide range of ailments and yesterday two amputees testified to the committee on how cannabis helped them manage their pain instead of using pharaceutical drugs which had a wide range of negative side effects.

"I have written to the Minister of Health. While any moves to amend the cannabis laws more generally should await the outcome of the inquiry, the situation for medical users of cannabis is too urgent to wait," said Mr Tanczos.

"I have urged the Minister to take notice of the submissions made to the Select Committee so far and promote an urgent change to the law which will allow sick people to use cannabis for medicine where they have the support of a doctor or specialist.

"I am grieved by the situation of people in genuine pain who just want to use the best medicine to improve their quality of life. The previous Government let them down - I am asking this Government not to do the same."

Mr Tanczos said it was disgusting that people like Barry Stone, who lost his left arm in a motorcycle crash, now faces a jail sentence for simply following his doctor's suggestion to try cannabis for pain relief.

"There are more and more cases like this coming to light as doctors continue to recommend cannabis for a range of conditions such as glaucauma, MS and other conditions associated with muscle spasms, paralysis, pain and nausea."

Mr Tanczos said it was a disgrace that seriously sick or disabled people who were hurting nobody were being treated as criminals and in some cases sent to prison.

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