VICTORY  FOR QUEENSLAND PATIENTS

 

Health Regulation 270A has been amended

 

Queensland Patients now have lawful access to cannabis and more!

 

Thank you everyone who signed and shared our petitions this year.

 

The Queensland Premier and Cabinet have made a change to Regulation 270A to allow for lawful access to Schedule 9 cannabis, cannabis resin and cannabinoids effective 16 December 2015.  The changes also means that Lindsay's case does not need to go to the Supreme Court. There is still a lot more to do as there are still no provisions for cultivation licences and local supply or a State amnesty program to give protection for patients growing their own cannabis or obtaining it from the illicit market. 

 

Read more about the amendment to Health Regulation 270A and what this means for Queensland patients, carers, doctors, pharmacists and industry.

 

 

 

Petitions for 2015 now closed - thank you

 

All petitions from 2015 and responses have now been tabled in Queensland Parliament.  You can view the petitions and the responses from the Health Minister, Dick Cameron below.  

 

4,090 petitioners signed our paper and e-petitions that were tabled in the Queensland Parliament in December 2015 requesting the House to adopt the Medical Cannabis Advisory Group’s proposal to amend Health Regulation 270A for medical cannabis reform in Queensland and more.  

 

In March 3,750 petitioners signed our first paper petition and in October 1,474 petitioners signed our first online

e- petition making it 9, 314 signatures in total this year, with 6,665 of those being paper petitions.  

 

Thank you to everyone who signed and shared our petitions and a big thank you to our co chair Lanai Carter who has been the principal petitioner for all our petitions and Mr Neil Laurie, Clerk of the Queensland Parliament who has sponsored all the petitions.

 

Tabled Petitions and Responses 2015

 

 

March Paper Petition

 

 

 

October e-Petition

 

 

 

December Paper Petition

 

 

 

December e-Petition

 

 

Update November 2015

 

We are still collecting signatures for our paper petition but have updated our e-Petition in light of the seven month wait so far for a response from the Commonwealth TGA about Lindsay's Special Access Scheme Cateogry B application to be treated by his Queensland doctor and for his cannabis medicines to be imported from the US as well as recent changes made to the Health Regulations to include nabiximols which do not go far enough.  These developments highlight why we need a Queensland State program and State cultivation 

 

We are asking the Queensland Government to act now and implement a State medical cannabis program rather than making patients wait for the Federal Government to pass complex legislation, that if passed will need to be adopted by the Queensland Parliament in any case.  

 

Petition details 

Signatures from both the paper petition and updated e-petition will be combined and tabled in the Queensland Parliament in December.

 

Please ensure that your full name, address and signature is on the paper petition otherwise it may be disallowed.

 

Please do not mark the petition in any other way. 

 

People under 18 can sign the petition as long as they are a resident of Queensland and are old enough to understand what is it they are signing.

 

Please forward all signed paper petitions to:

MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVISORY GROUP QLD
PO Box 3673
Loganholme QLD 4129

 

Thank you again for your support.

 

ABOUT OUR PETITIONS FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS REFORM  QLD

 

Queensland can lead the nation in medical cannabis law reform through an amendment to State Health Regulation 270A

 

Currently Health Regulation 270A of the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 states:  "The chief executive must not grant an approval to a person to manufacture, obtain, possess or use an S9 poison for human therapeutic use." 

 

​An amendment to Regulation 270A will allow patients lawful access to cannabis for medical purposes and could pave the way for the introduction of the most progressive cannabis law reform initiatives in Australia.  

 

An amendment to Regulation 270A by the Queensland Executive Council (Cabinet) does not require a Bill to go before Parliament or for the matter to be referred to the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, and will bring cannabis for medical purposes and patient’s health care under the health legislation and Health Minister rather than patients and carers remaining criminalised under the Drugs Misue Act and at risk of criminal prosecution.

 

The Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Health could grant an approval to patients, carers, nominated carers/growers to lawfully cultivate, produce, supply and possess cannabis for medical purposes in the State of Queensland.  The approval will exempt patients and carers from criminal provisions in the Drugs Misuse Act.  

 

The existing regulating powers and prescribing standards in the Health Act 1937 could be used to introduce a statewide photo identification card medical cannabis program with support services and a licencing system for not for profit cooperatives and the commercial cultivation of cannabis and manufacture of cannabis products for sale and supply through dispensaries without federal interference.

 

What it could mean for patients and carers

 

• no longer be criminalised or living under the constant fear and threat of criminal prosecution, or

• intervention from the child protection services

• patients can be afforded a quality of life and live with dignity and respect, and

• no longer live with the stigma and shame associated with the use of cannabis 

•  patients can have an open relationship with their doctor

• in consultation with their doctor develop cannabis treatment plans

• doctors can monitor the patients progress

• treatment can be tailored to meet the individual and specific needs of the patient

• patients will be able to trial different strains and forms of cannabis

• patients could have an affordable and guaranteed supply of cannabis

• cannabis can be grown safely and to adequate standards

• cannabis can be tested for safety and quality at State or independent laboratories

• patients could access education and other support services

• carers can tend to the other needs of the patient and family

• patients and carers will no longer have to buy their medicine from the black market

 

Please make a difference today and sign both Petitions requesting the Queensland Government to amend Health Regulation 270A to allow for safe, affordable and lawful access to cannabis for medical purposes,  patients health and human rights and more.  

 

Thank you for your support