SUPPORT GROWS FOR LEGALISING CANNABIS AS A MEDICINE

Pressure is growing for the Government to legalise cannabis as a medicine
after overwhelming support from health and education groups in a recent
Drug Foundation survey.

However, Associate Health Minister Roger Sowry said there was no intention
of changing the law to allow cannabis to be used therapeutically.

He said there was not enough evidence from overseas research to persuade
him that a change was needed.

But Drug Foundation director Chris Spence said the growing support among
members was something the country's decision makers should take notice of.
He planned to discuss it with Mr Sowry when they next met. "They [members]
are a well-informed group and their opinions are important. If they feel
strongly about an issue, the people who make the decisions should be
listening."

Two-thirds of the 102 groups which responded to the survey supported the
controlled use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. When surveyed last year,
just under half were in favour.

Mr Spence said overseas studies suggested that cannabis could help in the
treatment of some medical conditions, including glaucoma, multiple
sclerosis and nausea.

In England two cannabis drugs are licensed for the control of nausea after
chemotherapy.

New Zealand drug laws allow the Health Ministry to grant an exemption for
doctors to prescribe cannabis. However, no application has been successful.

In a statement the Ministry said it would only consider granting approval
to prescribe cannabis if it took place as part of a clinical trial. No such
application had been received.

However, researchers connected with Otago University are preparing to study
the effect of cannabis as an appetite stimulant, particularly for cancer
patients.

Senior lecturer Paul Fawcett said they had not yet applied for approval and
the work was in the early stages. If given the go-ahead, the cannabis would
be in a liquid form and taken orally.

Dr Fawcett said if cannabis had medical value it should be researched. He
could not say if that should then lead to its being legalised.

Researchers at the university are also studying whether an active
ingredient in cannabis can help treat glaucoma when administered in
eyedrops.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party leader and Wellington lawyer Michael
Appleby said about half the people facing drugs charges who he represented
were taking cannabis for medicinal purposes.

He was keen to see an exemption, but said that so far all efforts had been
frustrated.

"I think it's just in the too hard basket. They see it as the thin edge of
the wedge."