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Government dismisses calls for medicinal cannabis review to be widened
9 May, 2021 08:49 PM
4 minutes to read
A medicinal cannabis advocate says patients are still unable to access medicinal cannabis legally due to its cost and lack of availability. Photo / 123RF
A medicinal cannabis advocate says patients are still unable to access medicinal cannabis legally due to its cost and lack of availability. Photo / 123RF
RNZ
By Craig McCulloch of RNZ
A Ministry of Health document leaked to RNZ shows officials will not even consider extending an amnesty to allow all chronically sick people to use illicit cannabis.
Medicinal cannabis campaigners say the Government s dogmatic approach is ludicrous and ignores that the current regime is not working.
Photo: 123rf.com
Medicinal cannabis campaigners say the government s dogmatic approach is ludicrous and ignores that the current regime is not working.
In late 2018, MPs passed legislation creating a temporary criminal defence so people with life-limiting illnesses could use cannabis while the wider medical regime was being set up.
Ministry officials are required by law to deliver a report to Health Minister Andrew Little by mid-December on whether the amnesty is still needed or should be amended.
But an internal document, obtained by RNZ, shows officials have pre-emptively ruled out expanding the protection to cover people with less serious conditions.
MCANZ hopes for renewed debate as Alternative Medical Cannabis Bill is up for debate tonight nzdoctor.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzdoctor.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.