Clay Drummond can't sleep more than 30 minutes at a time. He is permanently exhausted and in excruciating pain. Ever since being diagnosed with an inoperable tumour seven years ago, the New Plymouth man been in agonising pain - and he says the pain is not just from the tumour but from the medication he is on. Drummond spoke to the Herald on a day when he tried to stay off morphine and was fighting the withdrawal symptoms. His hands were clammy and sweaty, he had chills and then sweating. The pain led him to despair. It sounds extreme but he says that's his everyday life. "If I don't take the pill, within about two hours the withdrawals start to kick in. Clammy, sweaty hands, chills. Seconds

The new legislation makes it easier for patients in the state of Queensland to get medical cannabis. Image by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP Australian Doctors and GPs in the northern state of Queensland can now prescribe medicinal cannabis to any patient with any condition, following new legislation that was passed last week. The state’s Department of Health announced in a statement last Tuesday that “any registered medical practitioner” could write a prescription for a medical cannabis product—be it plant-based or synthetic—“if they believe it is clinically appropriate” to their patient’s condition and have obtained the required Commonwealth approval. Appropriate conditions can include sev

Experts have renewed calls for NSW Police to ditch unreliable roadside drug test devices, after police targets to detect almost 300,000 crimes across the state this year were revealed. Figures revealed by The Sun-Herald showed police aim to carry out almost 18,000 search warrants this year, leaving many particularly concerned over drug detection targets. The Securetec DrugWipe: New research has cast doubt on the accuracy of mobile drug testing devices. Credit:Rohan Thomson NSW Police continue to use The Securetec DrugWipe roadside, which was proven by a study from the University of Sydney in September to produce inaccurate results when testing for cannabis. Criminal law expert Tahlia Anthony

- Geoffrey Guy, who founded GW Pharmaceuticals in 1998, made £5.8m last year - GW's chief executive Justin Gover pocketed an eye-watering £7.2m - Epidiolex, an oral solution to combat the seizures suffered by people with epilepsy, was approved in Europe last year - Epidiolex usually sells for up to £10,000 a year per patient A cannabis tycoon dubbed 'Dr Pot' and his business partner earned £13million last year as their company's medicinal drugs were approved for use by the NHS. Dr Geoffrey Guy, who earned the nickname after founding Cambridge-based GW Pharmaceuticals in 1998, made £5.8million in 2019 as the company's chairman. GW's chief executive Justin Gover pocketed an eye-watering £7.2mi

David Heilpern is something of a legend in the NSW Northern Rivers. The former Lismore magistrate is known throughout the region for the just decisions he handed down in relation to residents who’d been caught out by the unjust laws that govern the NSW roadside drug testing regime. The Northern Rivers region has long been a flashpoint of NSW police roadside drug testing operations, even before the Baird government announced in December 2015 that the state was tripling the amount of tests being conducted annually to 97,000. Indeed, these days, the quota the police force must fill is 200,000 tests a year. The reason why roadside drug testing in NSW is so derided is unlike random breath testing

Recently retired magistrate David Heilpern. Photo Jeff Dawson Stopping domestic violence should be the NSW justice system’s first priority, rather than the endless war on cannabis, a recently retired local magistrate says. In his first interview after 21 years on the bench, David Heilpern has opened up about his observations regarding the devastating impact of violence within the home, and his frustration at the lack of proactive policing to address it. ‘This sort of violence is incredibly damaging,’ Mr Heilpern says. ‘I can honestly say that I rarely, if ever saw, a repeat juvenile or child offender who had not seen or witnessed violence in the home or been a victim of family violence in

Police officials argue proposed bill, to be debated by ministers on Sunday, would lead to uptick in drug abuse, but vow to 'enforce whatever is decided' A man smoking medical cannabis at Abarbanel Mental Health Center in Bat Yam, last year. Credit: Daniel Chechik The Israeli police is expected to oppose a government-backed bill to fully legalise cannabis, senior officials told Haaretz, ahead of a Sunday ministerial meeting to discuss the proposed legislation. Police officials have argued in discussions about the proposed move that it would lead to an uptick in drug abuse, encourage youth to use drugs and increase crime organisations' influence over the drug trade. However, the police’s stanc

As of next month students will be able to learn how to cultivate, extract and produce medicinal-grade cannabis products. Image via Pexels This article originally appeared on VICE US. One of New Zealand’s leading universities will soon become the first in the country to offer a postgraduate course in medicinal cannabis. As of next month, when the second semester of study commences on July 20, students at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) will be given the option to enrol in “The Science of Medicinal Cannabis”: a course aiming to teach the practical and theoretical skills needed to work in the rapidly developing marijuana industry. Areas of study will include the history of medicinal

Exclusive: data shows hugely disproportionate treatment, which experts say helps trap young Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system. A police officer patrolling the streets in Sydney. Research has found Indigenous people caught with small amounts of cannabis in NSW are pursued through the courts in disproportionately high numbers. Photograph: April Fonti/AAP Police in New South Wales pursue more than 80% of Indigenous people found with small amounts of cannabis through the courts while letting others off with warnings, forcing young Aboriginal people into a criminal justice system that legal experts say “they will potentially never get out of”. The Guardian can reveal that between 2

Actor uses THC and CBD to soothe swollen joints. William Shatner has said he uses cannabis for medical reasons. The 89-year-old actor said that he has been taking cannabis extracts such as CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) to help manage pain and swelling in his joints. Speaking to the PA news agency, the Star Trek star said: “I've got some aches and pains I didn't have a few years ago. But, I'm finding out there are many things that help aches and pains that we didn't know about just a few years ago.” He continued: “Well, THC and CBD, and that kind of thing. It's magical. I've had swollen joints where it hurts, you rub some on and while you're rubbing it on, the pain disappea

Nearly 22 tonnes of seized cannabis held by the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has been handed over to 11 medical institutes and research facilities registered to use cannabis for research purposes, the ONCB secretary-general said on Saturday. Niyom Termsrisuk said two of the 11 medical institutes and research facilities which received the drugs from the ONCB include the Drug and Herbal Product Research and Development Center, College of Pharmacy, at Rangsit University; and the Bureau of Drugs and Narcotics at the Department of Medical Science. Mr Niyom said about 500kg of cannabis was distributed for research and medical purposes to the former and 100kg to the latter. He said the

Cannabis seized by ACT police. Picture: ACT Policing ACT police have seized hydroponically grown cannabis while executing a search warrant at a Charnwood residence on Monday. Police allegedly found six mature cannabis plants and two large bags of plant matter suspected to be cannabis. The estimated street value of the cannabis is more than $130,000. The search warrants for the property and a vehicle were provided due to ACT police investigating a man on other matters. The search warrant also found evidence relating to that separate investigation. Cannabis seized by ACT police in Charnwood. Picture: ACT Policing Police said the man suspected of cultivating the cannabis was already in custody.