The legalisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes could soon be a reality, with the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) placing its support behind proposed legislation with their new organisational policy.
“PHAA’s new Position Statement on Medicinal Cannabis in Australia recognises the need for a compassionate regime whereby seriously and terminally ill individuals who have been appropriately authorised may possess and use cannabis without penalty,” PHAA’s CEO Michael Moore said.
PHAA started their recommendations by stating that the Australian governments should work with the communities, including families and carers of those that might benefit from medicinal cannabis, and that the public health, medical and law enforcement systems begin to create careful policies with regard to introducing a palliation-focused medicinal cannabis regime.
The recommendations highlighted that proposals currently under consideration by the NSW and ACT legislatures for medicinal cannabis for terminally ill people who would benefit from the drug should be made the starting point, so that eventually the compassionate medicinal cannabis regime go further than serving just terminally people.
It was suggested that no penalty be given to people with other seriously health conditions in possession of or using botanical cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids when their doctor considers it beneficial to their situation and other approaches have been unsuccessful.
Mr Moore said, “With regard to medicinal cannabis, the policies and practices of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments are out of step with the attitudes and behaviour of much of the general public and professional opinion. It is now timely for Australian governments to give serious consideration to options for a tightly-regulated, compassionate medicinal cannabis regime managed by medical practitioners and the State and Territory health departments,” Mr Moore said.
PHAA’s regime also recommended including provisions that provide no penalty to a third party nominated by the person and/or the relevant authorities (doctor/s and health department) to cultivate, possess, supply and/or administer personal use quantities of cannabis product to the person authorised to receive it.
Importantly, PHAA suggested that goverments support their research into the long-term benefits and risks of cannabis use for medicinal reasons, given the public’s support.
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