THE SICK ROLL UP FOR A JOINT SITTING AT PARLIAMENT

Joint effort ... strictly for medicinal purposes.

Protests on Macquarie Street aren't uncommon.

However, Spike expects the one being planned outside Parliament House
tomorrow at 10am will be a little out of the ordinary.

The NSW Compassion Club is inviting all members of the NSW Parliament
to meet medical cannabis patients and carers in Macquarie Street.

The patients will use a peaceful rally and meeting to highlight what
they say is the need for the Carr Government to adopt its commissioned
expert working party's recommendations on the medical use of cannabis.

The rally will seek an urgency for "implementation of appropriate
measures" that assist those who say they need cannabis for medical
purposes.

"Premier Bob Carr has been sitting on his working party's
recommendations for almost two years now," said Andrew Katelaris,
considered an authority on Australian medical cannabis research, who
will speak at the rally.

"The Premier and many other cabinet members have voiced their support
in the past with virtually no opposition to the recommendations ...
The Government's million-dollar report is collecting dust on the
Premier's desk while he is acutely aware of the plight and discomfort
endured by thousands of ailing people in NSW who rely on cannabis as
their primary source of therapeutic relief."

Among the people expected to attend tomorrow's protest is Gary Coombs,
a 42-year-old multiple sclerosis patient.

"Gary would love to explain his situation and prognosis," Dr Katelaris
said.

"He can explain how while using cannabis he doesn't need the
pharmaceutical drugs that most other MS patients are prescribed.

"He may talk about his parents' care that has kept him from being
institutionalised.

"Gary seldom talks about the future, though, or his parents' ailing
health and a home that he'll end up in, the drugs he'll be required
take and their side effects.

"Could someone please explain to Gary how the NSW Government is going
to help him?"

However, Spike has the feeling the explanation for why the Carr
Government has dragged the chain on this one begins with an "e" - for
election.