MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
07/02/2017

'Medical cannabis products' are really pharmaceutical cannabinoids, according to Mt Albert candidate
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The National and Labour parties only support pharmaceutical cannabinoids and have no intention of allowing medical cannabis in its natural form, the Cannabis Party says.

National is considering reducing the bureaucracy for pharmaceutical product Sativex, however it will still be too expensive for most Kiwi's to afford, according to Mt Albert candidate Abe Gray.

The Labour party previously blocked moves by the late Helen Kelly to launch a referendum about medical cannabis. Gray said Andrew Little even denied knowledge of Labour's private member's bill to create a referendum, despite the draft legislation being leaked by The Cannabis Party (http://cannabis.org.nz/sites/cannabis.org.nz/files/Labour%27s%20Referendum.pdf).

"Neither of the two main parties have any intention of allowing medical cannabis in its natural form, even though it is available in dozens of US states and Canada," he said.

"Every time Andrew Little or Jonathan Coleman refers to 'cannabis products' or 'cannabis based medicines' it is code for pharmaceuticals."

Gray believes the major parties have been lobbied by the pharmaceutical industry not to allow actual medical cannabis.

"I'm calling on the Mt Albert candidates to support a binding referendum cannabis laws, based on Helen Kelly's draft legislation," he said.

"Any MP would introduce the bill to the private member's ballot immediately if they were serious about the medical cannabis issue."

ENDS

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