Call on cannabis medicine

[Brash]

Call on cannabis medicine

By Carol Nader

January 24, 2006

 

AUSTRALIA'S drug regulator should decide whether medical use of cannabis is permitted, according to the head of the committee developing the first national cannabis strategy.

 

In a move likely to increase pressure on federal and state governments to allow medicinal use of the drug, Richard Mattick, chairman of the national cannabis strategy, said the Therapeutic Goods Administration determined the effectiveness and safety of medication, and cannabis should be treated the same way.

 

The TGA's role was to approve new therapeutics in Australia and it was up to it to determine whether medication was safe and effective, he said. "State politicians might comment on whether they think cannabis should be considered for therapeutic users, but the TGA is the group that protects your health and my health with regards to medicine, and to go outside those processes is foolhardy."

 

Former NSW premier Bob Carr announced in 2003 that the state would conduct a clinical trial of medicinal use of cannabis, but it never took place. The NSW Government is discussing with the Federal Government the establishment of a cannabis trial. The Victorian Government has ruled one out.

 

Professor Mattick, also the director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, is part of a panel of drug experts developing the cannabis strategy. It will be presented later this year to the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, which comprises health and police ministers.

 

Federal parliamentary secretary for health Christopher Pyne did not wish to comment, but has previously called for tougher cannabis penalties.

 

The chairman of the Premier's Drug Prevention Council in Victoria, Rob Moodie, said cannabis might have a place in palliative care, pain relief and HIV.

 

Problematic cannabis users should be dealt with in the health system rather than the criminal system, he said.

 

Author: Carol Nader

Date:24 Jan 2006

Source: The Age

Copyright: © 2006. The Age Company Ltd.

Article link

Edited January 23, 2006 by Brash

[Brash]

My Letter to the Editor, in response to this article:

 

While I welcome calls by the chairman of the National Cannabis Strategy, Richard Mattick, for closer scrutiny of the medical uses of cannabis by the Therapeutic Goods Administration ('Call on cannabis medicine' - the Age 24th Jan), I fear the TGA will only consider pharmaceutical options and ignore the inhaled herbal product often preferred by patients.

 

For me, cannabis has proved highly effective in dealing with the symptoms of HIV as well as the side-effects of long-term antiretroviral therapy. There is no other product available that can provide the powerful appetite stimulatory effects of cannabis - a lifesaver for those suffering HIV wasting syndrome.

 

The dosing of inhaled cannabis is a relatively simple procedure whereas oral dosing can be far more unpredictable. Patients can inhale cannabis without the harmful effects of smoking. Vapourisers are available that heat cannabis below the point of combustion so the volitile active ingredients such as cannabinoids are given off as a clear vapour free of smoke & carbon monoxide.

 

My understanding is isolated cannabinoids in pharmaceutical form do not provide the same broad level of symptomatic relief offered by whole cannabis. I urge the TGA to consider all the options not just expensive pharmaceuticals.

 

Justin Brash

Surry Hills (NSW)

[dsyfer]

It will be a real shame if the only way medical marijuana is to be available is through pharmaceutical companies It will end up just a processed, chemically raped substance that makes them a fortune.

 

Just look at Nicorette and Nicobate, they make money (billions) from selling clean nicotine to nicotine junkies? Goverment approved and probably subsidised as well.

 

Unfortunately with the way the world is now (greedy) as long as there are kickbacks or fortunes to be made by influential people, the plain old joint will never make it to medical status

[Nath]

I want to move to canada or california... not sure if they would prescribe cannabis for my condition but nearly every pharmaceutical drug isnt working... I have problems sleeping, which turn into major psychosis. Ive tried MANY things, but lately they have been giving me sodium valproate for mood stabilization (Which makes me feel old and like shit - im 22) Olanzapine (Makes me eat, ive gone from 85kgs a good weight, to 120kgs in the past 14 weeks with these meds and no cannabis, also head fks me the next day until lunch time) and just recently Seroquel (Which makes me sleep like theres no 2moro, I sleep the next day all day too). They just gave me temazepam, but I munched 25x 10mg tabs last night, and still woke up at 6am and feel fresh, they have no effects on me....

[Pa-uul]

Medical cannabis must be legalized immediately. No ifs, ands or buts. Anything less is just cruelty. :crying:

[Nath]

Medical cannabis must be legalized immediately.  No ifs, ands or buts.  Anything less is just cruelty. :crying:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Indeed... for my situation, there is nothing that comes close to what cannabis does for me. And Im no addicted cannabis user, I havent smoked ANYTHING whatsoever for 14 weeks, thats over 3 MONTHS... Will power is very underestimated. I wonder if they would prescribe me cannabis if I moved to Canada, or California? Or is that just for hardcore ill people like MS and Glaucoma or whatever other diseases require cannabis to help. I have literally tried nearly everything available.. really sucks.

[Guest niall]

Hey Brash were there any followup letters or anything?

[Brash]

I didn't see The Age but am pretty sure I didn't get my LTE published, I did however get a new media contact (Carol Nader) for future reference.

[Budman2012]

I Wanted To say Hello , Very Good Work , and Thankyou.

Hey Brash ,sorry , But I thought I would post here , Hope U dont mind , How are you man? and are there any new developments?

In one of your other topics I was reading the other nite (Sorry I forget which one now) , It had a link to the um ... (DrugInfo.Gov.?)-sumthin like that o.k. , But when I looked , It has had nuthing new printed on Medical MJ for years? , now , I'm a bit of a Noob to the intermenet , I was wondering If I could be pointed in the rite Direction to find out more a bout the situation?? Thx.

I have Chronic Inner Ear Problems and am going deaf with pain for the journey ... I Sleep Terribly sumtimes ... And suffer some Depression , Now just for those things alone , If I smoke sum MJ , I barely even notice these Probs (Has to be Real Good Tho) , I can Eat and sleep and generally function much better , and the ringing and such in my ears is relieved ,

When I stop for more than about 24hrs , Then I start Feeling the pain coming on again , and I don't like that very much :0 ...

I want to keep in the know about the state of Medical MJ , So any Pointers will be much appreciated. Thx Again : )

 

Goodbye 4 Now.

From Budman.