Medical Access

[merl1n]

A couple of months ago I asked my GP about obtaining cannabis to treat my ongoing symptoms.

"Ohh ahhh, I don't know anything about the processes, I wouldn't know where to start..."

Being that I'm in SA and there being no clinic's here (our state Gov't (Liberal) still have their heads buried firmly up their own arses)  I thought the whole process would be a waste of time

I went investigating and found a clinic in NSW, who would go through the whole process online.

 

So after a couple of weeks of paperwork both from myself and my GP, today I got the call from the clinic and have had the initial approval.

I now have to obtain the approval from the TGA but from what I've been told this should not be a problem and should take less than a week.

The Dr I spoke to has told me that what he would be prescribing is a CBD and THC combination as my situation is pain related.

I asked the Dr about the cost of the medication itself as it is NOT on the PBS and I have to say it is NOT cheap.

The Dr himself would not actually tell me a defined cost but advised me to call the chemist in Victoria.

Upon doing so I was told $270/50ml + postage ($30), so $300 delivered. First thought "Fuck, it'd be cheaper to go buy an ounce" but have decided to follow through with the process.

 

At this point I have not been told of the recommended dosages, so how long that 50ml is going to last I am unsure.

I am also unsure if I may be able to get my local chemist to get it in for me or whether it needs to come from an approved compounding chemist, solely in Victoria.

 

So the processes have been started. The dr and the prepaid TGA approvals have cost me $550 so far (that's without the script itself), so let's see how much more it's gonna cost

When I have any further info I will let you all know.

 

Just thought others maybe interested

Merl1n

[Serrated edge]

After what they have invested they must be shitting bricks that states might follow canberra

[MongyMan]

In Lucy's defence, you can be assured that with the public persona she has on the subject, she would have been lobbied by every which side of the argument. From pollies to pharmas to patients, I for one don't envy the woman one bit.

Let's face it, this was not her fight, but Dan's (her late son's) and by her own admission she was not knowledgeable re:Canna or Medical Canna in the beginning and was even anti the whole idea in the beginning. So the antics of vested interest groups have to have made a huge impact on the route she has taken. And, yes there are people who think she's taken the wrong info from the wrong people, but those are the choices we all have to make. And if anybody amongst us has ALWAYS made the correct decisions in life, you're dreamin. As they say 'You live and learn'

 

We are going to be stonewalled everywhere going about this from a recreational stand point and when it comes to medical those vested interests have the connections ie political which at the very least have more say than you or I on which direction the whole canna paradigm and debate go (or don't go). We need a voice at THAT table, we've gotta get it accepted as medical to be going anywhere near recreational. Small steps. And she is making those steps.

 

Yea, OK, so it's taking too damn long, I agree, but 10-15yr ago we were told we were dreamin even to get it to this point. It's being discussed more openly now by the decision makers than ever before, we've even got a Federal parliamentary enquiry happening, that hasn't happened before.

 

These are all the steps that need to be made. As I said in a former post "We can all bitch and moan, yell and scream, petition and protest but if we don't play their game it simply ain't gonna happen."

IMO Lucy's just playing the game

 

Merl1n

 

 

What makes you think Lucy knows how to "play the game" as you put it Merl? By her own admission she has said this is all new to her. The only game she and others like her with vested interests know how to play is stalling patient access while they scramble to set up businesses. How can that be a good thing for patient access?

 

Also, what makes you think the people who supported Lucy at the start and who got legal access for Dan and many other people across the country at that time don't know how to "play the game" or "don't have a seat at the table"? You do realise the medicine you are getting now was only made possible by these same peoples efforts and not through anything Lucy or other vested interest have done? The only fruit of their labors is the expensive drawn out convoluted system people now have to access it through which is only there because of people like Lucy and other similar vested interests and the people like yourself who back them. Those are the law changes they have lobbied for since coming into the public eye AFTER others had already secured legal accesses and helped her and her son. It didn't have to be that way and it sure didn't start out that way but Lucy sold out plain and simple.

 

You do also realise that in Dec of 2015 the same people who had already secured a legal supply for Dan and many others across the country by then also successfully lobbied the Qld Gov and got law changes passed that saw any licensed medical practitioner in Qld able to prescribe cannabis in ANY form for ANYTHING they felt it was of benefit for. Lucy was one of the people who lobbied for the law changes that saw that work undone and replaced with the system we have now with very limited access and expensive import only products.

 

When Lucy came into the public eye and gained a public voice those who had helped her and already achieved so much regarding patient access tried pointing out to her the damage she was doing and that the corporate model she was choosing to lobby on was only going to stall patient access not help it and her answer was and I quote "That's ok because we're not ready to start growing yet anyway" referring to United in Compassion's business interests. Lucy knew exactly what she was doing when she chose to sell out the patients for corporate interests instead.

 

Patients in need have been sold out by people like Lucy and many others who have lobbied for the current system. These same people have lobbied hard against patients home growing because they thought they were going to get a license to grow and supply cannabis in a monopolised market instead. The only reason they are complaining about the laws now is because they have realised they have been cut out by bigger pharmaceutical company interests and they are crying poor. It's not about the patients. Or should I say customers as they like to think of them?

 

Keep believing the people selling you out are helping you and making a difference Merl if you choose but be assured the only way this will all end if people keep backing the vested interests instead of the patients is with expensive pharmaceutical ONLY cannabis with tougher penalties and laws regarding home growing.

[MongyMan]

Yea, OK, so it's taking too damn long, I agree, but 10-15yr ago we were told we were dreamin even to get it to this point. It's being discussed more openly now by the decision makers than ever before, we've even got a Federal parliamentary enquiry happening, that hasn't happened before.

 

And your a bit out of touch there Merl. There have been a number of both federal and state enquiries over the years into medical cannabis in Australia. There have also been Australian patients accessing legal medical cannabis longer than 10-15 yrs ago. There has even been Australian ASIC registered companies and patient advocacy groups supplying legal medical cannabis to Australian patients for over 10 years.

 

The only thing new now is the huge increase in the number of vested interests that have come out of the woodwork since the latest media hype over medical cannabis and a huge increase in the number of people including patients like yourself who for some reason have chosen to back those with vested interests over REAL patient access the last 5-7 years. And the same people wonder why now ALL we have is overpriced imported corporate cannabis and very limited patient access 

[Aqua420]

I was looking at getting my blue card taken away over being busted but when a lady at the issuing authority found out why i grew and i told her $322 a month was alot of money to me she said that was crazy . She remarked that even with a good full time job she would still have trouble finding the money and even said she would most likerly do it herself in the same circumstances.

The public needs to know the $$

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[Indycar]

Same, got a family member in the same boat. lookin' at over $3600 a year. Now weigh that up, against the cost of growing and getting busted is better value than parting with the said amount on a yearly basis. Plus, i don't hold much faith in the lab produced stuff, potentially over process it and rob other beneficial stuff from the plant during the process.

[merl1n]

I haven't said that Lucy knows how to play the game Mongy, in fact, I do state 'In My opinion' (IMO) nor have I said that vested interest groups haven't played her but who else has a public profile in the game. You?? May be Don?? I sure as hell don't, and I certainly haven't said 'I have ALL of the information' ever. So 'a bit out of touch'?? Definitely.

 

I am not saying who is right and who is wrong here, not at all, different strokes for different folks. I have been trying to get 'legal' access for years, without success until recently. I am supporting myself, not corporate interests, via the systems the government has put in place. Yes, this is inadvertently support big pharma, but that is the system. Do I like it? HELL NO. But legally there is no other option ATM. Yes, the select few have had access, but those of us who are not 'the select few' have had to wait.

 

This topic was started to show the journey of gaining legal access via the govt systems. This topic is not about Lucy nor United in Compassion. The easiest way to get access is to grow, but some members have asked about the route to 'legal access' and that is why this topic was started.

I completely understand that you disagree with the processes that have been put in place. I'm not happy with them either, but, as stated before, I don't make the rules/guidelines, I have to play the game via the rules/guidelines setup by the powers that be.

 

P.S. Interesting how the Mods can give negative reps, but us plebs can't. Whose opinion counts for more???

Edited March 30, 2020 by merl1n

[MongyMan]

P.S. Interesting how the Mods can give negative reps, but us plebs can't. Whose opinion counts for more???

 

Anyone in 420crew, which helps keep this site running, can give negative rep Merl....in this case yes it was me who voted your post down because all it does is support pharmaceutical cannabis products. Good for you that you can afford the exorbitant prices being charged for you just to be part of a trial for an overseas company's products but how that helps the majority of patients in Australia who cant afford this extortionist system is beyond me.

 

You are part of the problem and you cant even see it Merl.

 

PS: Many here have tried explaining to you how you could have accessed medical cannabis over the years Merl but you never believed them and every time your answer was it's ok you'll just grow your own instead. Now you have seen it on TV and the media you have changed your mind and are backing a company and corporate only cannabis and you think you are leading the way and making a difference for the good. You have it all arse about Merl

[merl1n]

"...all it does is support pharmaceutical cannabis products."

Now, right back in the start and on other pages within this topic I have repeatedly stated why I'm going through this whole bullshit process and it is NOT to 'support pharmaceutical cannabis products' but rather to support other members wanting to take this route. What other accessible, legal route is available?

 

"You are part of the problem and you cant even see it Merl."

Yea, maybe I am, but again as I stated in a previous post "We can all bitch and moan, yell and scream, petition and protest but if we don't play their game it simply ain't gonna happen." I've decided to play their game, you agree?, fine. you disagree?, that's also fine. But the other approaches, although they may have had some impact, haven't worked. So, I'm taking another approach to 'get involved' by giving the govt the data they want.

 

It's not that I've seen it on TV at all. I attended a canna expo where the info was provided

 

"...and you think you are leading the way..."

I have NEVER, NEVER, stated that I am leading the way. NEVER. I have documented the processes I have gone through and that is all. I have not said 'My way is the only way...' 'cos I know it's not. Others want the info and that's what I have provided. Nothing more. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by merl1n

[Aqua420]

Mongy this info needs to get out there.

How many come here desperate for help?

Yes i know i was one of them. I spun the wheel and lost but it was my choice, my actions i must now deal with.

Sadly alot are not even in the position to even try growing.

One day fingers crossed everyone will be able to grow and this forum will still be here with alot more knowledge than the goverment but untill that time is it really wrong to give people another option?

Is it wrong to get a legal perscription so people can travel with cannabis?

The journey is only just starting for me trying to get hubbys dose right but maybe its the wife in me but knowing that our family can do things like go interstate if needed without fear of taking cannabis with us means alot.

Nobody here is on the same path in life.

Its my choice not to go to the public with hubbys condition for my own reasons and turn it into a media circus even through it would get public backing.

Right now im doing what i know is right for my family. That is not running anyone down here but at times in life as an adult you need to be seen to be playing the game.

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[stonher]

Mongy this info needs to get out there.

How many come here desperate for help?

Yes i know i was one of them. I spun the wheel and lost but it was my choice, my actions i must now deal with.

Sadly alot are not even in the position to even try growing.

One day fingers crossed everyone will be able to grow and this forum will still be here with alot more knowledge than the goverment but untill that time is it really wrong to give people another option?

Is it wrong to get a legal perscription so people can travel with cannabis?

The journey is only just starting for me trying to get hubbys dose right but maybe its the wife in me but knowing that our family can do things like go interstate if needed without fear of taking cannabis with us means alot.

Nobody here is on the same path in life.

Its my choice not to go to the public with hubbys condition for my own reasons and turn it into a media circus even through it would get public backing.

Right now im doing what i know is right for my family. That is not running anyone down here but at times in life as an adult you need to be seen to be playing the game.

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

most peop who discreetly grow in a small tent produce enough med for there need or a couple in the yard,  and dont get busted your efforts of 50 odd plants are excessive for perso use