Pubdate: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand) Copyright: Allied Press Limited, 2003 Contact: http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925 SURVEY SHOWS CANNABIS SUPPORT Wellington: The Green Party is pushing its case for legalising the medicinal use of cannabis with a survey showing a third of doctors would consider prescribing it. MP Nandor Tanczos, a cannabis law reform campaigner, said it was the first such survey ever carried out. "It is a reality check for those cannabis prohibitionists who seem indifferent to the suffering of sick people and a wake-up call for the Government," he said. The survey was sent to 500 doctors selected at random and 45% responded, giving a 6.5% margin of error. The key findings included: * One in five doctors have patients whom they know are using cannabis medicinally. * Forty seven percent reported knowing of patients who had discussed the option of using cannabis. * Thirty two percent would consider prescribing medicinal cannabis products if they were legal. * Ten percent felt they had patients who would benefit from it. * Thirty percent indicated they should be able to prescribe it. * The more knowledge a doctor holds, the more likely they are to support the use of medicinal cannabis. * There is a general lack of knowledge among doctors about it. Mr Tanczos, who smokes cannabis for religious reasons, said the decision on whether to use it as a medicine should be between a patient and their doctor. "The problem is that doctors who now believe it is the best medicine can't prescribe it," he said. The party's health spokeswoman, Sue Kedgley, said it was "cruel and hypocritical" to deny sick people the use of cannabis. "What is the logic of banning a herbal drug like cannabis while we happily tolerate the use of morphine, a highly addictive class B drug with significant side effects?" A parliamentary committee which spent three years investigating cannabis reported in August and said the Government should consider allowing doctors to prescribe it. Health Minister Annette King said she would wait for the results of British trials, due later this year. A spokesman for Ms King told NZPA that the situation was unchanged. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth +++++++