Supporters deluge medical marijuana symposium

[Naycha]

http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/2598301/supporters-deluge-medical-marijuana-symposium/

 

 

Supporters deluge medical marijuana symposium

 

Oct. 2, 2014, 4 a.m.

 

 

TAMWORTH'S bid to host Australia's largest ever medical marijuana convention is heating up, with NSW Premier Mike Baird and a host of international speakers already confirmed.

 

The 2014 Medical Cannabis Symposium, to be held at TRECC on November 21 and 22, comes on the back of a historic push to legalise the drug for the terminally ill.

 

To be co-funded by the state government, the event will bring together police, politicians, medical marijuana campaigners and some of the world's leading scientific experts on the issue.

 

Also confirmed as speakers are Dr Bob Melamede, the chairman of the biology department at the University of Colorado and a board member of a host of peak cannabis medicine organisations; Dr Lester Grinspoon, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School and a well-known medical marijuana author; retired federal police commissioner Mick Palmer; and Wikileaks barrister Greg Barnes.

 

Tamworth medical marijuana crusader Lucy Haslam said she was "overwhelmed" at the deluge of support for the symposium.

 

"Education has been so lacking in this debate and it's timely to have a conference like this, given the heightened level of interest in the issue," Mrs Haslam said.

 

"We certainly want ordinary Tamworth residents to come along, because this issue could affect any of us."

 

She said Premier Mike Baird had agreed to open the conference and was hopeful members of the recently formed medical cannabis working party would attend.

 

A Facebook page www.facebook.com/unitedincompassion has been established to support the event.