PUSH TO LEGALISE DOPE AS TABLET

STATE Parliament will investigate whether marijuana should be legalised for
the terminally ill and people with chronic pain.If the drug is legalised,
Tasmania would be the first state to make it legally available on prescription.

Prompted by community debate and a recent research paper prepared by
University of Tasmania student Benedict Bartl, Attorney-General Peter
Patmore yesterday announced he would refer the issue to Parliament's
Community Development Committee for review.

The committee will investigate whether one of the active ingredients in
marijuana, THC, should be made available in tablet form.

Mr Patmore said the issue was not party-political and the Government did
not have a policy on it.

"We have investigated the matter further and have found that in some
countries ­ for example, the United States and the United Kingdom ­ THC,
which is an active constituent of cannabis, is legally prescribed under the
name of Dranabonil in the US and Nabalone in the UK," Mr Patmore said.

The Bartl research paper, commissioned by Denison Greens MHA Peg Putt,
found Tasmania could legally import the drug under the same convention that
allows the poppy industry to operate.

Ms Putt said the Greens supported the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

However, Hobart pain relief specialist Michael Jackson said marijuana had
serious side-effects.

"Marijuana is not without its dangers. It is not going to make a
significant difference in terms of outcomes, particularly given the
side-effects," Dr Jackson said.

He said the drug could lead to reduced motivation, paranoia and altered
psychotic states in some users and, if smoked, could cause cancer in the
upper airway.

"If we are going to look at legalising it for medicinal use, it should be
investigated by a national, qualified organisation, such as the National
Health and Medical Research Council," he said.

Last October, the Australian Medical Association and the NSW Law Society
announced a campaign to lobby state governments to allow the use of
cannabis for palliative care.

At the time, Premier Jim Bacon said if the AMA could establish the merits
of using cannabis for effective pain relief, the Tasmanian Government would
seriously consider allowing its use.