CAUTIOUS NOD FOR CANNABIS MEDICINE

Health authorities admit there is enough evidence to support use of
cannabis on compassionate grounds.

In an October briefing paper to Health Minister Pete Hodgson, the
ministry says there is "sufficient evidence of safety and efficacy of
cannabis in some medical conditions" to support consideration of
compassionate, controlled use.

This could include use when conventional treatments have failed. The
Government has been accused of dragging its feet on reform to allow
medicinal use of cannabis.

Health Ministry documents obtained by The Dominion Post under the
Official Information Act show the debate has raged for six years
without progress.

The briefing paper came ahead of a meeting with Green MP Metiria
Turei, sponsor of a private member's bill calling for medicinal use.

It says the known medicinal uses are increasing and research suggests
it can help treat conditions such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis
and nausea associated with cancer treatment. However, the ministry
expresses concern about harm caused by smoking the drug and problems
of arranging legal supply.

It says a pharmaceutical form of cannabis, such as the nasal spray
Sativex, would address such issues.

Sativex was approved for multiple sclerosis patients in Canada in 2005
and is being trialled in Britain. No application to use it or any
other pharmaceutical form of cannabis here has been made to Medsafe.

At present, the health minister has the power to authorise medicinal
use of cannabis if a doctor applies on behalf of a patient. However,
according to the ministry, no medical practitioners have applied.

Billy McKee, director of GreenCross, a patients' medicinal cannabis
support group, said it was frustrating the Government had "stalled" on
addressing the issue.

He smokes cannabis daily to control chronic pain dating from car crash
injuries sustained 30 years ago.

He has been prosecuted for cannabis use but now has a letter from his
GP to say he uses it for medical reasons and carries a GreenCross card
that asks police to use their discretionary powers when deciding
whether to arrest him.

Mr McKee, of Levin, said his GP would not apply for ministerial
approval on his behalf because of the bureaucracy involved. "I've
applied two or three times but it's always been knocked back," he said.

Ms Turei, whose private member's bill will be put to the vote in May,
said there was huge need for medicinal cannabis to be made legally
available.

The best way to ensure patients had cheap access to cannabis was to
allow them to grow their own. However, the dosage should be managed by
a doctor, she said.

Under her bill, patients could apply for an identification card that
would entitle them to possess the drug for personal use.

Mr Hodgson has said he will consider the research before deciding
whether to back Ms Turei's bill.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation supported the bill going to select
committee, but executive director Ross Bell said medicinal cannabis
should be grown in a controlled environment rather than by patients.
Leaf cannabis should be trialled for three to five years so its
medicinal benefits could be assessed.

Norml, a group pushing for reform of cannabis laws, has handed a
3000-name petition to Parliament calling for legalised medical use.

Medical Association chairman Ross Boswell said its policy was for
doctors not to advise patients to smoke cannabis because of the health
risks. If used medicinally the active chemical should be formulated as
a pharmaceutical drug.