Pubdate: Fri, 14 May 2004 Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) Copyright: 2004 The Sydney Morning Herald Contact: http://www.smh.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) CARR WANTS CANNABIS TRIAL APPROVED NSW Premier Bob Carr urged Prime Minister John Howard to approve a trial to use cannabis as a medicinal treatment for people suffering acute pain. Mr Carr has written to Mr Howard seeking his help in setting up the trial involving HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis patients. Without federal approval, the trial could not proceed because it would be illegal to import the banned drug. "You need the Commonwealth to approve its importation and you need the Commonwealth to check it off under the therapeutic drugs administration," Mr Carr told the Nine Network. He said the NSW government had no intention of decriminalising cannabis but it did not want people suffering acute pain to resort to illegal activity. "We don't want a system where someone suffering the racking pain of cancer treatment or HIV treatment or MS is growing it in their backyard or buying it on the black market," Mr Carr said. "That's why we want a better approach, we want to be able to talk it through with the prime minister. "Basically our thinking is in line with his." In May last year, Mr Howard said he would support a trial to allow cannabis use for pain relief in the chronically ill as long as the drug was prescribed. Mr Carr said his government had spoken with Britain about an inhaler spray but the product would not be available for at least two years. "Meanwhile, we've got people in hospital wards, struggling with these diseases in their own homes, hoping for a way out, hoping for another option," he said. "We want to be able to import a cannabis product available at the present time in Canada because Canada, like the Netherlands, and like eight American states, has a system that allows compassionate cannabis . that enables people living with pain, living with acute pain, to have another option." - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder