Prime minister backs legalisation of medical marijuana in letter to Alan Jones as NSW and Victoria move to relax laws
Tony Abbott has backed the use of cannabis for medical purposes, saying “there should be no question of its legality”.
The prime minister expressed his view in an email to the talkback host Alan Jones, who has publicised a petition signed by 196,000 people calling on the New South Wales parliament to allow cannabis use by the terminally ill and chronic pain sufferers.
The support comes as the NSW government moves forward with a clinical trial and guidelines to ensure police can exercise discretion not to charge terminally ill adults who use cannabis.
The Victorian government is also legislating to remove barriers to clinical trials of medical cannabis.
In a letter read by Jones to his listeners on Wednesday, Abbott said: “I have no problem with the medical use of cannabis just as I have no problem with the medical use of opiates.
“I was under the impression that personal use of cannabis was no longer an offence in NSW.
“If a drug is needed for a valid medicinal purpose though and is being administered safely there should be no question of its legality, and if a drug that is proven to be safe abroad is needed here it should be available.
“I agree that the regulation of medicines is a thicket of complexity, bureaucracy and corporate and institutional self-interest. My basic contention is that something that’s been found to be safe in a reliable jurisdiction shouldn’t need to be tested again here.”
Jones said Abbott’s letter was sent on 23 August. The prime minister’s office confirmed the email was genuine.
Lucy Haslam, who is campaigning on behalf of her 24-year-old son Daniel who has a terminal cancer diagnosis, told Jones she was pleased that politicians were “starting to listen”.
“I’m really pleased with [premier] Mike Baird and I do feel he has the best of intentions and I think he will follow through for us and it’s great if we can get Tony Abbott involved at this stage,” Haslam said.
A research paper prepared for NSW parliament reviewed laws in a number of countries.
In the US, medical cannabis is available in 22 states. In Canada, patients can be given access to medical cannabis at the discretion of their physicians.
Medical marijuana is also legal or decriminalised in Israel, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Uruguay and Spain.
There is also a cannabis-derived pharmaceutical product available in a number of countries, known as Sativex. This has been registered with the Therapeutics Goods Administration in Australia for treatment of one condition, muscle spasticity related to multiple sclerosis.