Medicinal cannabis bill voted down

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Medicinal cannabis bill voted down

3News NZ

The bill would have allowed doctors to prescribe cannabis for 22 approved illnesses

The bill would have allowed doctors to prescribe cannabis for 22 approved illnesses

Politicians have voted against a law change that would allow cannabis to be used for specific medicinal purposes.

The bill was tabled in 2002 and has taken seven years ago to come back before the house.

Those who say cannabis is their only option are disappointed with the opposition to the law change.

"A lot of the other medication that you get from your doctors actually doesn't work for us, you know," says Green Cross campaigner Billy McKee. "If I could get medication from my doctor that worked for me then I'd just use it, but the medication I get from my doctor makes me really, really sick."

Medicinal cannabis is already used in thirteen states in the US, along with Canada, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

The Green Party bill would have allowed doctors in New Zealand to prescribe cannabis for 22 approved illnesses and eligible patients would have been given an identification card allowing them to grow, possess and consume marijuana.

ACT MP Heather Roy says that the stance is supported by science.

"There's very good scientific evidence to show that some medical conditions are improved by the use of cannabis," she says.

But most MPs don't agree and say the bill is too flawed. They fear that it could lead to wider issues with the drug.

"Making the leaf available is simply a back door way of making it more widely available to everyone so no, no support," United Future leader Peter Dunne says.

 The Law Commission is currently holding a review of the Misuse of Drugs Act and when the results come back later this month, Green co-leader Metiria Turei says she will set out to tackle the topic again.

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Comments

15/01/2013 12:55:46 p.m.

trish wrote:

The mps who voted against this bill, haven't got a clue, if they or a close family member were being denied life improving medication, they would do all they could to help.... Or are many of them cowards. This is torture by leglislation.

27/12/2009 2:44:56 a.m.

Polensky wrote:

Some use whiskey as medicine, and acolhol is the most addictive destructive drug known to man, yet it is leagal???

30/10/2009 10:43:33 a.m.

Wayne wrote:

Why are we letting people that know nothing of cannabis tell us that we cannot use it?, remember it was made illegal because of uneducated people in the first place and oh yeah there are some that make money from the way the law is, so they dont want a law change, and they laugh behind Peter Dunes back while they cash in and pull the puppets stings. If there was such thing as an honest politician (Peter D) they would admitt they dont have any experiance with cannabis, so cant realy have a valued opinion on the subject, I dont preach about something I have no experiance with. Peter Dunes intentions are good, pity he is so missled.

21/09/2009 10:55:15 p.m.

Calyx wrote:

Alien that is very stupid.. tobacco smoke kills 5000 a year in New Zealand and cannabis has not been attributed to one death or one cancer case world wide so do some research. Also Cherie THC can antagonize schizophrenia and other mental symptoms that's why some medicinal cannabis will be left to mature longer than normal so the THC degrades to CBN which is actually a proven anti psychotic.

16/08/2009 6:21:27 a.m.

John wrote:

For many years top guys in Medical research have tried to advance socially and relieve pain and emotional misery, and hypocritical politicians who have often possibly used dope without convictions to wreck their precious careers stop a natural plant from being a medicine. Shame on you guys!"
THis is not free use of spice crap on the Streets. Gromit 2

3/07/2009 6:45:27 p.m.

Brent wrote:

The people that really Need it Don't smoke it.
They boil the heads in Butter to extract the thc then Dump the Matter. The Butter is then Cooled and used for bakeing. Most of the people that need to do this do use measurments To allow a liveable standard of life rather than the Pain and discomfort. I have heard Pill Form is Better dosage as it helps keep fram of mind.

3/07/2009 10:02:49 a.m.

Alien wrote:

yes donna lets legalise something that has been medically proved to cause cancer at a higher rate than the cancer sticks now.

2/07/2009 3:28:43 p.m.

Donna wrote:

Our government is so short sighted. The benefits of cannabis far outweigh the disadvantages, and this is proven. If it was made legal for both health and small supply personal use it would save tax payers millions.
Police resourses can be spent on real crime, less people jailed, would put gangs almost out of business, people will not be exposed to P and other hard drugs that are pushed onto people from the sellers of cannibus, nice freebies to sample until your hooked. If you were allowed to grow your own personal small amount, then their will be no untaxible drug money or gang intimidation to buy only from them. It would put more money back into the family pocket with not having to spend hundred of dollars on it.
We could also grow hemp, which you can manufacture so much from.
This is not a man made chemical drug, it is a natural herb that has been used for thousands of years. I believe the governments only real gripe is they have no way to tax it, so ban it. Long term use burns brain cells, that is the only bad thing about it I can see, oh it smells aweful to.
So if nothing else, allow it to be used for medical reasons, not all man made medication is the best medicine. And face it, a huge amount of the world population use it, from your beneficiaries to lawyers.

2/07/2009 11:59:14 a.m.

cherie wrote:

Who in their right mind suggested that metal health patients should be on the list.
I agree with most but hello why would you give a drug induced patient more?