There is no excuse for Michael Ferguson to keep shirking his responsibility to provide Tasmanians a legal and safe framework for the use of medicinal cannabis, Greens Health spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said today.
“The new Victorian Premier has already referred the issue to that State’s Law Reform Institute to ensure new laws are ready to be introduced in 2015. The NSW Premier has also just announced $9 million in funding for clinical trials, and will also establish a medical cannabis panel of experts led by the NSW chief medical officer.”
“Tasmania is being left behind. The people who are benefiting, as well as those who would benefit, from the remarkable medicinal properties of cannabis derived medicines, are being largely ignored.”
“Minister Ferguson has tried to claim previously that it wouldn’t work for Tasmania to go it alone on medicinal cannabis, but that clearly is no longer a problem, with NSW and Victoria making concrete steps forward in legalising medicinal cannabis as well as investing in clinical research.”
“It would be a wonderful, compassionate Christmas gift for Mr Ferguson to provide those Tasmanians suffering and their families, if he were to heed these recent interstate examples and say yes, Tasmania will allow the use of medicinal cannabis,” Ms O’Connor said.
Greens Health spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP
