ACT WEIGHS CARR'S CANNABIS TRIAL

The ACT is poised to follow the lead set by NSW and introduce a trial
legalising the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

NSW and ACT Health Department officials were in contact about the details
of the four-year trial within 24 hours of the announcement by Premier Bob
Carr on Tuesday.

The NSW Government is set to introduce the legislation enabling the trial
in the spring parliamentary session. It would allow people with serious and
terminal illnesses to use cannabis.

Both the ACT Health Minister Simon Corbell and the ACT Opposition Leader,
Liberal Brendan Smyth, told The Sun-Herald they were in favour of the trial.

Mr Corbell said he would be "looking very closely" to see if it would be
appropriate for Canberra.

He said the NSW plan for controlled, medically supervised use of cannabis
was a prototype Canberra could emulate.

"We have a pretty liberal community," he said. "Certainly, using drugs for
this sort of purpose would be an attitude that most here would have."

The trial would be beneficial for older, seriously ill patients who "aren't
likely to grow their own [marijuana] or purchase some".