- Feb 27, 2019
Mandurah man who grew cannabis in backyard for medicinal use fined $2000
A 69-year-old Mandurah man has been charged $2000 after he grew large amounts of cannabis in his backyard. He claims it was for medicinal purposes only. A Mandurah man has been fined $2000 after he grew a big quantity of cannabis in his backyard. Gary Kennedy, who suffers serious health problems, was using the illegal drug for medicinal purposes. Medicinal cannabis is a prescription-only product and the only way to get is through an authorised, specialist doctor. That’s not w

- Feb 22, 2019
Desperate patients turn to black market for medicinal cannabis despite spike in legal prescriptions
Photo: Katelyn Lambert was just 11 months old when she was diagnosed with severe, intractable epilepsy. (ABC Central Coast: Meghna Bali) It was the day Michael Lambert watched his infant daughter suffer a violent two-and-a-half-hour seizure that he says he decided breaking the law was a small price to pay for her life. Katelyn had been diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome and her family was told there was a one-in-six chance she would be dead befo

- Feb 22, 2019
Lucy Haslam repulsed by medicinal cannabis laws, calls on nation to #FixDansLaw
FIX IT: Lucy Haslam is appalled with Dan's Law and wants the nation to rally for easier cannabis access. Photo: Gareth Gardner 200219GGE02 In a one-on-one interview with the Leader, Lucy Haslam reveals the pain this Sunday will bring, marking four years since her son's death and why she's retracting claims of victory on medicinal cannabis. IN THE Haslam living room, something lingers. To turn your eye to another corner of the room is to find another milestone from a young man

- Feb 21, 2019
“Only a matter of time”: Greens to push Labor hard on cannabis legalisation, citing $2 billion oppor
Greens leader Richard Di Natale is seen at the Melbourne Free Cannabis Community 420 Rally held at Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne on Friday, April 20, 2018. Source: AAP Image/David Crosling. The legalisation of cannabis will be front and centre of the Australian Greens’ campaign in this year’s upcoming federal election as the party urges Labor to lead the charge on pro-marijuana legislation. Speaking to SmartCompany, Greens party leader and Senator for Victoria Richard Di Nat

- Feb 21, 2019
Laura is prescribed cannabis, but she still relies on the black market
Laura Bryant was full of hope when she was finally approved for access to medicinal cannabis. Cannabis oil was the only treatment that relieved her debilitating pain but for many years she was forced to buy it on the black market. Medicinal cannabis user Laura Bryant.Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong Despite her approval, she has found it impossible to find a doctor to prescribe it to her after recently moving back to Canberra. Tight federal and local restrictions mean GPs usually

- Feb 20, 2019
Uproar after Greens and Liberals move for cannabis inquiry
The ACT's parliament is set to hold an inquiry into a proposal to legalise cannabis, leading to a blow-up between Labor and the Greens. The Greens sided with the Liberal party to refer Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson's private member's bill that would allow people to get high off their own supply to the tripartisan health committee in the Assembly on Wednesday. Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson. Labor says they were caught unaware by the

- Feb 20, 2019
Medical cannabis is on the rise in Australia, but we still don't know a lot about how it works
Cannabis has been used for thousands of years. (Getty Images: Victoria Bee Photography) Thousands of Australians are now using medicinal cannabis to treat conditions like chronic pain and anorexia. Yesterday, the ABC revealed more than 3,100 medicinal cannabis scripts had been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) since the Federal Government relaxed restrictions in March 2018. According to experts, these people were just the tip of the iceberg. It has been e

- Feb 19, 2019
Jenny Hallam, who gave cannabis oil to sick people, tells supporters she had pleaded guilty to drug
Jenny Hallam. Picture: AAP Image/Brenton Edwards
A South Australian medical cannabis producer who was charged with manufacturing and possessing cannabis for sale has told her loyal supporters she pleaded guilty to the charges after a marathon legal battle.
Jenny Hallam was charged in April 2017 with producing a controlled drug.
She vowed to fight the charges saying that she gave the cannabis oil to those who medically needed the drug for pain relief.
However, the week

- Feb 19, 2019
How many Australians are accessing unapproved medicinal cannabis?
The number of special access approvals has shot up by hundreds over the past few months The TGA has released its latest data on the use of unapproved medicinal cannabis products in Australia. Such products can be accessed through the Authorised Prescriber Scheme (AP), the Special Access Scheme (SAS) and through clinical trials. When products in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) are found to not be clinically suitable, the SAS provides a pathway for prescribe

- Feb 19, 2019
‘Cannabis is very different from other pharmaceutical products.’
Greg Hunt speaks at the launch of the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia body Health Minister Greg Hunt has said that medicinal cannabis shouldn’t be seen in a “mythical, mystical” context, at the launch of a national advocacy body Mr Hunt launched the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia industry body, comprised of Australia’s medicinal cannabis industry licensees, last week with support from Labor and the Greens, at an event where Greens leader Richard Di Natale outline
