Health Minister Michael Ferguson must heed the results of the first major Australian study of chronic pain and medicinal cannabis use which has found that cannabis provides greater relief to many chronic pain sufferers than conventional pain medications, Greens’ Health spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said today.
“This National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NRARC) study reaffirms evidence from researchers internationally and the testimony of chronic pain sufferers that cannabis is effective in pain management,” Ms O’Connor said.
“According to a NDARC report in 2012, Tasmania has the nation’s highest rate of Oxycodone use and the second highest rate of morphine use. Opioid prescription and use in Tasmania rose from 19 300 prescriptions in 1999, to 127 400 in 2010 and it continues to rise.”
“Unlike these highly addictive and indeed toxic medications, medicinal cannabis can provide relief without harmful side effects and the risk of death from accidental overdose.”
“Health Minister Ferguson has continually ignored the pleas of Tasmanians who are using, or would benefit from using, medicinal cannabis for a range of terminal and chronic conditions.”
“He cannot ignore the fact that prescription painkiller use is increasing sharply in Tasmania and can cause considerably more harms than medicinal cannabis. To my knowledge, nobody has ever died from an overdose of medicinal cannabis.”
“This latest NDARC research cannot be ignored by the Health Minister. To do so and to continue to have a deeply conservative approach to medicinal cannabis that denies benefits to Tasmanians in need would demonstrate a lack of compassion.”
“On behalf of those many Tasmanians who are currently using medicinal cannabis to relief suffering, and those who would benefit from being able to access it legally, I strongly urge Mr Ferguson to put aside his prejudices and look at the evidence.”
“Surely he doesn’t want to be known as the Minister who stood idly by and did nothing to deal with the fact that Tasmania has the nation’s highest heavy duty painkiller use rate while there is a safer, natural alternative available?”
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Health spokesperson
