MPs must act on moral obligation

The Cannabis Party supports the call for the Key Government to act over medical cannabis laws.

The party has thrown its support behind CTU president Helen Kelly and Nelson mother Rose Renton who are calling for medical cannabis to be legally available.

Cannabis Party leader Julian Crawford said there was a moral obligation on MPs to immediately address the medical cannabis issue.

"Every party in parliament has been silent on this important issue, despite it being a matter of life and death for many cancer patients like Helen Kelly," he said.

"The Law Commission wanted natural cannabis buds to be used for medical trials but the government ignored them. This is despite a similar trial going ahead in Victoria, Australia."

In Colorado, a state with a similar population to New Zealand, US$ 326,716,273 in medical cannabis sales have been made in the year to October.

"These sales were mainly natural cannabis buds grown by caregivers working for retail dispensaries," Mr Crawford said.

"By preventing a similar scheme here, the Associate Health Minister is costing the health system millions and putting patients' lives at risk."

ENDS

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