CWA bid for medical pot

[boulder]

TASMANIA'S Country Women's Association wants cannabis legalised as a treatment for the terminally ill.

 

The association's state conference voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion on the issue yesterday.

 

It wants state and federal governments to legislate so the drug can be a prescription pain relief treatment for people with non-curable conditions such as cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis.

 

The motion was raised by Launceston's Riverside branch.

 

Branch delegate Ailsa Bond, a retired pharmacist, told the conference the active ingredient in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, had demonstrated benefits for terminally ill people including pain relief and appetite stimulation.

 

She said countries such as Canada and the Netherlands were already allowing terminally ill people to use the drug, and the association should support the NSW Government's four-year cannabis trial because it had an obligation to explore all avenues to relieve pain and suffering.

 

Several women attending the Launceston conference gave emotional accounts of caring for terminally ill husbands and how legitimate cannabis use might have eased their partner's suffering.

 

One woman told of how her husband had wasted away to just 48kg before he died, after extended treatment with morphine.

 

"I asked our doctor, but he could not prescribe it. You don't care if he smokes it, just as long as it takes away the pain," she said.

 

Association president Jill Hayes also supported the move and recounted her own experience.

 

"If it had been (legally available) when my husband was sick, then I'm sure he would have been smoking it," she said.

 

Central Coast branch delegate Vera Norris said people were using cannabis for much-needed pain relief and should not be considered law-breakers.

 

Mrs Bond said she was aware of cases in Launceston where police had allowed terminally ill people to use the drug.

 

She did not believe the motion was controversial.

 

"When I started as a pharmacist in 1940, I can remember it being prescribable then. But that stopped when the US started having problems with the drug," she said.

 

The State Government said yesterday it had no plans to legalise medicinal cannabis use, and would not do so outside a national reform.

The Mercury

[Guest Field_of_Light]

Wow...I cant beleive they used to have it back in the 40s available....in that manner

 

Makes ya think just how far have we really come in the last 63 years

[decreade]

go the CWA!... good to see the older generation can see past the 'drug' stigma and recognise the beneficial qualities of the herb, ......also those ladies make the wickedest munchies!!

[Luke Skywalker]

Hear Hear! The CWA rocks! I have the cookbook, (see attachment, a b'day gift a while back from me mum...) and I applaud the Tasmanian branch for such a stand.

 

It's interesting how you put your reply FoL,

 

Wow...I cant beleive they used to have it back in the 40s available....in that manner

 

It's precisely because people don't know and aren't told these things that it remains a stigmatised and illegal drug. Ignorance breeds fear.

 

I'd love to see the CWA as a national group stand up not just for the right of the terminally ill to use cannabis, but for all medicinal use to be legalised and regulated, or at the least tolerated. It's happening in the community already, and the more people are educated, the better the chances that there will be a seachange in thought.

 

I'd doubt that little Johnny could argue too much with the stern tea ladies of the CWA, now could he? ::

[Green finger]

now i know why the old dears are always bakeing their cookies