Pubdate: Thu, 15 Feb 2007
Source: Gisborne Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2007 The Gisborne Herald Co. Ltd
Contact:  http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/home.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/924
Author: Iain Gillies, Editor

CANNABIS CAN ALREADY BE USED FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES

Cannabis Can Already Be Used for Medicinal Purposes

The last thing New Zealand needs is a loosening of the rules and 
regulations governing the use of cannabis.  This may seem a dogmatic, 
one-eyed statement and it probably is, but we are sure a great many 
families in this district would agree that marijuana does more harm 
than good.  It has put many a youngster off the rails.  And it is 
easy enough to get into strife without taking drugs.

Green MP Metiria Turei says a Ministry of Health report saying there 
is enough evidence to support use of cannabis gives her hope for a 
law change.  Mrs Turei's member's bill, Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal 
Cannabis) Amendment, has been sitting on Parliament's books for 
almost a year while she tries to gather information.

It has been reported that officials told Health Minister Pete Hodgson 
last May there was sufficient evidence of cannabis's safety and 
effectiveness to support consideration of compassionate, controlled 
use.  The papers obtained under the Official Information Act also 
raised concerns about the harm caused by smoking the drug and 
problems of arranging legal supply.

Mrs Turei told NZPA that she had talked about the report with Mr 
Hodgson last year and believes it would help MPs see 
decriminalisation for medical use made sense.   The Green MP is 
waiting for a select committee report considering a petition on the 
same subject before putting her bill to the vote, hoping the evidence 
presented on the petition would help her cause.

She said cannabis could be imported from countries where it was 
already grown for medical use or grown in a state-controlled 
laboratory in New Zealand.

The health effects argument was also a bit of a red herring.   "It is 
a health issue to some extent, but for patients who are likely to die 
. . . really the risk of smoking is completely irrelevant."

In New Zealand, the health minister has the power to authorise 
medicinal use of cannabis if a doctor applies on behalf of a patient. 
Surely that's enough!
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MAP posted-by: Elaine