Legalising the Inaccessible: An Interview with Medicinal Cannabis Advocate Dr Teresa Towpik
A medicinal cannabis bill that would make it easier for terminally ill patients to access imported cannabis medicines passed through the Senate on Thursday. However, it’s expected the Turnbull government will vote it down in the lower house. This really...
Stop Testing Drivers for Minute Traces of Cannabis
Most Australian states and territories currently carry out mobile drug testing (MDT) operations that only test for three illicit substances: amphetamines, MDMA and cannabis. In Tasmania and the Northern Territory, police test for longer lists of illegal drugs. In NSW, authorities have...
Medicinal Cannabis for the Elderly: An Interview with Canna Nanna Karen Burge
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Special Access Scheme (SAS) is a formal arrangement that allows patients to import unapproved therapeutic goods into the country. There are two main pathways to access imported medicines via this scheme: category A and category B....
Sick Boy Removed While Being Treated With Cannabis Oil
A now five-year-old boy who suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy was taken from the care of his parents more than 100 days ago. On May 19, NSW police and Family and Community Services (FACS) officers removed the boy from...
Redefining Medical Cannabis: An Interview with This Week in Weed TV’s Loren Paul Wiener
Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale moved a disallowance motion through the federal Senate on June 13 this year, which allowed terminally ill patients to import up to three months’ worth of medical marijuana products from overseas. The motion reversed...
Not Guilty of Drug Driving Despite Cannabis in System
Northern Rivers region resident Joseph Carrall was pulled over by NSW police senior constable Chayne Foster on 23 June 2015 for a random drug test. The officer asked the driver whether he’d taken any illicit drugs within the last 48 hours, to...
Former Police For Cannabis Legalisation: An Interview with Weeded Warrior’s Damon Adams
Growing concerns over the opium trade were central to the League of Nations establishing the 1925 Geneva Convention, which imposed global restrictions on the production and use of opium and coca. Cannabis was added to the agenda at the last...
Nimbin Locals Imprisoned for Selling Cannabis
Jurisdictions around the world are legalising cannabis. One in five US citizens now lives in a state where the recreational use of the plant is permitted. Uruguay changed its laws to allow marijuana use nationwide back in 2013. And Canada...
Police Arrest Patient For Possessing Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with MCUA’s Deb Lynch
On June 19, Queensland police arrested Deb Lynch, secretary of the Medicinal Cannabis Users Association of Australia (MCUA), on charges of possessing a dangerous drug. Several officers were at her Cornubia residence on a different matter, when they noticed her...
Barriers to Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with Medical Cannabis Advisory’s Grace Sands
Last week, a Greens motion passed through federal parliament that allows terminally ill patients faster access to cannabis medicines. These patients are now able to import up to three months’ supply of medical marijuana from regulated markets overseas. The disallowance motion...