ALCP welcomes Prime Minister's cannabis comments

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is calling for the legalisation of medical cannabis.

Mr Abbott's comments came on the same day as New South Wales and Victoria states announced they would be doing clinical trials of cannabis.

"If a drug that is proven to be safe abroad is needed here it should be available," Mr Abbott said.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party leader Julian Crawford welcomes the comments and says New Zealand needs to follow Australia's lead.

"New Zealand cannot afford to ignore the scientific evidence in favour of cannabis, we should follow the example of Australian politicians and debate this issue in Parliament," Crawford said.

"Cannabis was described by Harvard Medical School as 'the wonder drug of the 21st century' which would be 'used by millions of people'.

Crawford said he discussed cannabis with Prime Minister John Key earlier in the year, at the annual Ratana celebrations.

"Mr Key said he had heard that the USA could make $50 billion a year if they legalised cannabis federally," he said.

"This was just after Mr Key had been playing golf with President Obama in Hawaii and shortly after Obama had instructed federal authorities to stop prosecuting medical cannabis dispensaries."

"John Key has called himself 'the New Zealand Obama'. It's time he took a similar approach as Barack Obama and Tony Abbott towards medical cannabis."

President Obama has previously said he was a heavy cannabis user in his youth.

ENDS

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