Medical cannabis policy released for NZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12 February 2018

Medical Cannabis Awareness New Zealand is today releasing a health policy document which it wants government to enact into law.

The policy contains elements of recent bills from Labour and Chloe Swarbrick, but is more detailed and fairer than both.

The policy includes:

• A compromise solution that permits patients to grow their own cannabis in limited circumstances when licensed by the Ministry of Health.
• Much stronger decriminalisation of medical use.
• The exclusion of vaporizers from the definition of drug paraphernalia due to the significant reduction in harm they provide.
• A commitment to domestic cannabis production with similar quality controls as the Canadian regime.
• Reductions in prescription barriers.

The full policy is available at www.mc2018.co.nz.

“New Zealanders want fair laws around medical cannabis but much of the policy being debated in the house is misinformed or incomplete,” says MCANZ coordinator Shane Le Brun.

“That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to write this country’s most comprehensive medical cannabis policy document ever, and present it MPs across all parties to make their job as easy as possible. Our policy is good to plug-and-play.”

Today’s policy release is being welcomed by users of medical cannabis such as Auckland-based Dr Huhana Hickey who has multiple sclerosis.

“Medical cannabis has helped me reduce my daily pill intake from 70 to 10 and makes the difference between me being well enough to work or be an invalid’s benefit,” she says.

“But it’s come at a huge personal cost. Sativex cost me $1,400 a month and has put me in significant personal debt. I’ve had to stop taking it and am back on a huge cocktail of drugs.

“With MCANZ’s sensible policy, I would be able to grow a small amount of cannabis for personal use at a fraction of the cost. It’s a no-brainer and it’s the kind of policy New Zealanders are desperately calling for.”

MCANZ has supplied its policy document to MPs and hopes it will be endorsed by other organisations as the debate around medical cannabis continues.

ENDS

© Scoop Media