A medicinal cannabis producer and former GP has welcomed a Newcastle trial of the drug, but says Australia is lagging behind the rest of the world.
Andrew Katelaris is speaking at Saturday’s medicinal cannabis seminar at the Shortland Wetlands Education Centre.
Newcastle’s Calvary Mater Hospital will next year host Australia’s first trial of the drug, with around 30 people taking part.
Dr Katelaris has been working with medicinal cannabis for two decades.
He said there is no doubt about the drug’s health and community benefits.
“Australia has slept in, and now it’s now well into the middle morning,” he said.
“The rest of the world has moved forward – Portugal and other places like that, where they’ve had recreational drug legalisation with major benefits for the population.
“In Colorado where medical cannabis has been freely available for some time now, there’s a measurable decrease in the rate of suicide, domestic violence and fatal traffic accidents.”
Dr Katelaris said he continues to produce and prescribe cannabis oil, despite the potential risk of police prosecution.
“I think there’s been a bit of a breakthrough with the understanding that police don’t have to kick down the doors of medical users, and don’t have to confiscate lifesaving medicine,” he said.
“I don’t see it as a ‘blind eye’ – I like to think that it’s an intelligent appraisal of the situation.
“It’s not as good as full legalisation, but it’s a viable way forward until the politics catches up with the science.”