QUALITY OF LIFE IS THE KEY

A new look Queensland Country Women's Association has joined the push
for trials of marijuana for medicinal use.

The controversial topic was heavily debated at the normally
conservative CWA's annual conference in Townsville this week.

Members agreed to support the Tasmanian CWA in their lobby for
research, development and trial of the tablet form of cannabis for
the relief of terminally ill and long term sufferers of pain.

Queensland president Heather Wieland said in keeping with a more
forward-thinking CWA, a majority of the 290 delegates had voted in
favour of supporting the idea, which had originally been brought up
by the Tasmanian branch of the CWA at the national conference in Darwin.

"We are definitely not in favour of any form of legislation allowing
people to grow their own plants," Ms Weiland said.

"We're only looking into the pain and relief and humanity side of it.

"Our main focus is preventing young people from taking drugs and
trying to educate them -- that was our landmark. The thought of
letting them grow their own drugs really didn't sit well.

"In tablet form, controlled in a trial on a first basis and they
would then need to have prescriptions, and I believe now they have to
have permission from the Federal Government and not easily acquired,
so we were relieved to find that out."

She said members voted in favour of needing to improve the quality of
life for terminally-ill patients.

"Many members were very concerned, so yes it was controversial, but
we're democratic, so we debate everything," Ms Weiland said.

"The topic only came up because Tasmania, who are obviously more
forward progressed than us, had brought it up.

"It was probably because so many members have relations or friends
who are suffering from terminal illnesses and the relief of the pain
is a very important subject.

"What they are giving them now is not working. I think it's a quality
of the life that they have left."

Delegates also passed resolutions to lobby the State Government to
review its patient subsidy scheme, in accordance with the rising
prices of fuel in regional areas, introduce first aid training for
primary school students, and to lobby the Government for more doctors.

"We need more doctors in the country," Ms Weiland said.

"We're going to keep on lobbying. Sometimes we don't get what we wish
for, but we'll keep on it."