A CANNABIS lobby group has challenged claims that the legislation of medicinal marijuana has been rushed through parliament without sufficient evidence.
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Earlier this week, Hunter-based pain specialist Dr Chris Hayes told the Newcastle Herald that he was concerned the political agenda and community advocacy for medicinal cannabis were out of balance with the medical evidence.
Dr Hayes said there were studies underway that would help to clarify whether cannabis could help with chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea, end-of-life symptom management, and paediatric epilepsy.
Until the evidence was available Dr Hayes said caution was warranted.
But members of the Drug Law Reform Party and the Medical Cannabis Users Association have offered some “constructive educated feed back” to Dr Hayes in a statement sent to the Newcastle Herald.
They argued there were many years of peer-reviewed scientific journals that showed the effects and benefits of using cannabis food concentrates for pain relief, cancer, epilepsy, auto-immune, and well being.
“We are not forging ahead too quickly, we are actually falling behind and millions of Australians are needlessly suffering because of this,” a spokeswoman said.
Medicinal cannabis advocate Dr Andrew Katelaris MD also objected to Dr Hayes’ claims that the legislation had been rushed.
“We’ve been agitating since 1990 to have medical cannabis, and there have been generations of people before us,” Dr Katelaris said.
“There wouldn’t be a massive need for alternative services and people actively seeking out cannabis and other treatments, and paying big money for it, if things were rosy in the garden as he [Dr Hayes] would have us believe.”
This week the Turnbull Government introduced legislation to ensure the cultivation of a “safe, legal and reliable local supply” of cannabis for medicinal products.
Minister Sussan Ley said amendments to the Narcotic Drugs Act would ensure cannabis grown through the scheme was not diverted for illicit uses.
Statement provided by Members of Drug Law Reform Party and Medicinal Cannabis Users Association to the Newcastle Herald:
“On behalf of all Australians, we are standing up as cannabis advocates and would like to reply to Dr Chris Hayes, not as criticism but rather constructive educated feed back and some good hard facts.
There are many years of peer reviewable scientific journals that show unequivocally the effects and benefits of utilising cannabis food concentrates for pain relief, cancer, epilepsy, auto-immune, and overall well being.
As concerned members of the community we are speaking up to encourage our government to catch up with the rest of the world. We are not forging ahead too quickly we are actually falling behind and Millions of Austalians are needlessly suffering because of this.
The research has already successfully been done in many other countries (and here) “full plant medicine” the way nature intended, is the best way to consume this food source that was gifted to us from creation... Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. King James Bible.
It is important to fully understand the difference of whole plant to isolating components of the plant such as synthesized versions of CDB and THC which is missing the vital intelligence that our immune system and cells recognise and are successfully able to interface. Adding synthetics to an already compromised body only causes more inflammation and metabolic imbalances which cancer suffers and those with chronic disease are already battling.
We know there are six recorded deaths from the bogas cannabis trials in France and no recorded deaths to date when using cannabis food concentrates. We question your integrity in calling these trials cannabis trials, when in fact they are synthesised versions of an already perfect plant and our body does not recognise your synthesised versions in the same way that is does cannabis food concentrates. How can you successfully synthesise when you can not even fully identify all of this plants intelligence and constituents..
To address your statement that the medical profession got it wrong when "we" rushed in to approve opiates for pain relief, we say yes....you did because again your choice to use man-made synthesised versions of the whole will always impact negatively on the human body.
While there are many people willing to stand by and do nothing while they are regularly poisoned by toxic water, air, soil and food sources, we choose to take back our power by putting our personal health back into our own hands. We choose to utilise this mop up plant to remove the high levels of toxins accumulating in our bodies.
Cannabis food concentrates are a dietary essential, and a medical necessity, and should be recognised as a staple part of our diet with one in three people now being diagnosed with cancer. We live in a toxic age and we must all have affordable access to the food. Prohibition of this food source is a crime against humanity.
It’s time all health professionals become accountable and look at the scientific evidence and importance of the activation of the Endocannabinoid System. This is vital to achieve and maintain optimal health and well being and can be assisted through the consumption of cannabis food concentrates.
- Members of Drug Law Reform Party and MCUA Medicinal Cannabis Users Association.
