Cultivation of cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes needs considered management before it is rolled out as a therapeutic good
Since the publication in the Journal last year of a perspective on cannabis that stated: “Australia is behind the times on the medicinal use of cannabis”,1 there appears to have been a palpable change in community attitudes around cannabis as medicine.2-4 This has occurred alongside anecdotal reports from people with intractable illnesses who have had symptomatic benefit with cannabis.5 Palliative care specialists have acknowledged a potential role for medicinal cannabis in their specialty.6 Internationally, the scene is also changing. For example, the Netherlands Office of Medicinal Cannabis enables dispensation through pharmacies after purchase from a contracted company, which also exports to other European countries.7 In the United States, 23 states and Washington, DC, have legalised marijuana in some form, mostly for medicinal purposes, since June 2015.8
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- 2. NSW election 2015. Medical marijuana has widespread support from Vote Compass users. Australian Broadcasting Commission. News. 2015; 16 Mar. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03..medical-marijuana-cannabis/6314758 (accessed Apr 2016).
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- 9. New South Wales Government. Terminal Illness Cannabis Scheme. http://www.nsw.gov.au/tics (accessed Apr 2016).
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- 12. The Hon Sussan Ley MP. Media hub. Historic medicinal cannabis legislation passes Parliament. 2016; 24 Feb. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/health-mediarel-yr2016-ley013.htm (accessed Apr 2016).
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Jennifer Martin is involved in the NSW Health-funded medicinal cannabis trials and Yvonne Bonomo is leading cannabis research and education programs in Victoria.