Robert Celt
New Member
The Turnbull government will embark on the journey toward the 'missing piece' of medical marijuana legislation today by introducing a bill expected to pass 'easily'.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the landmark legislation that would allow for Australian doctors and patients to access cannabis to help manage chronic pain and conditions.
Health Minister Sussan Ley will lead the charge to amend the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967, allowing for greater access to medical marijuana at a national level through a single licencing scheme.
The changes will also allow for local farmers to grow, produce and distribute medical marijuana through the narcotics act and the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989.
Ms Ley described the local cultivation changes as the 'missing piece' for patient access.
"This is an important day for Australia and the many advocates who have fought long and hard to challenge the stigma around medicinal cannabis products," Ms Ley said in a statement.
"For Australia, this is the missing piece in a patient's journey.
"Importantly, having a safe, legal and reliable source of products will ensure medical practitioners are now at the centre of the decision making process on whether medicinal cannabis may be beneficial for their patient."
The NSW and Victorian governments have been moving toward introducing medical marijuana schemes locally; they could not do so legally without a federal scheme.
The legislation is expected to pass through parliament within the current sitting period after Labor expressed its intent to support medicinal cannabis at the end of last year while the Greens are certain to be on board.
In October 2015 Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the legislation would receive unanimous cross-party support.
"We need national laws to make sure we can licence growers ... that doctors can prescribe this and that the medication gets in the hands of patients who need it," he said.
The health minister said the government had spent the past months working on a "robust" law and she was certain of a smooth passage.
"I am confident creating one single, nationally-consistent cultivation scheme, rather than eight individual arrangements, will not only help speed up the legislative and regulatory process, but ultimately access to medicinal cannabis products as well," Ms Ley.
"A national regulator will also allow the Government to closely track the development of cannabis products for medicinal use from cultivation to supply and curtail any attempts by criminals to get involved."
Medical marijuana continues to gain ground globally with 13 nations across the European Union, four nations in Latin America, Canada and 23 US states already having active legislation. Although marijuana in the US remains illegal at a federal level, four states the Washington DC have passed laws to legalise recreational use while Canada is exploring the introduction of similar laws nationally.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'This Is The Missing Piece': Australian MMJ Legislation To Be Tested In Parliament
Author: Nicholas McCallum
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Yahoo News
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the landmark legislation that would allow for Australian doctors and patients to access cannabis to help manage chronic pain and conditions.
Health Minister Sussan Ley will lead the charge to amend the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967, allowing for greater access to medical marijuana at a national level through a single licencing scheme.
The changes will also allow for local farmers to grow, produce and distribute medical marijuana through the narcotics act and the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989.
Ms Ley described the local cultivation changes as the 'missing piece' for patient access.
"This is an important day for Australia and the many advocates who have fought long and hard to challenge the stigma around medicinal cannabis products," Ms Ley said in a statement.
"For Australia, this is the missing piece in a patient's journey.
"Importantly, having a safe, legal and reliable source of products will ensure medical practitioners are now at the centre of the decision making process on whether medicinal cannabis may be beneficial for their patient."
The NSW and Victorian governments have been moving toward introducing medical marijuana schemes locally; they could not do so legally without a federal scheme.
The legislation is expected to pass through parliament within the current sitting period after Labor expressed its intent to support medicinal cannabis at the end of last year while the Greens are certain to be on board.
In October 2015 Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the legislation would receive unanimous cross-party support.
"We need national laws to make sure we can licence growers ... that doctors can prescribe this and that the medication gets in the hands of patients who need it," he said.
The health minister said the government had spent the past months working on a "robust" law and she was certain of a smooth passage.
"I am confident creating one single, nationally-consistent cultivation scheme, rather than eight individual arrangements, will not only help speed up the legislative and regulatory process, but ultimately access to medicinal cannabis products as well," Ms Ley.
"A national regulator will also allow the Government to closely track the development of cannabis products for medicinal use from cultivation to supply and curtail any attempts by criminals to get involved."
Medical marijuana continues to gain ground globally with 13 nations across the European Union, four nations in Latin America, Canada and 23 US states already having active legislation. Although marijuana in the US remains illegal at a federal level, four states the Washington DC have passed laws to legalise recreational use while Canada is exploring the introduction of similar laws nationally.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'This Is The Missing Piece': Australian MMJ Legislation To Be Tested In Parliament
Author: Nicholas McCallum
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Yahoo News
