Chris Fowlie on The Daily Blog: Compassionate approach plants seed for medical cannabis

Originally published on The Daily Blog, 11 June 2015 Medical cannabis hit the news big time this week, with the Prime Minister John Key hoping to shut down any prospect of a parliamentary debate, called for by Labour leader Andrew Little, Green Co-Leader Metiria Turei and CTU leader (and cancer patient) Helen Kelly among others. Yet the number of people using cannabis medicinally continues to grow – medical use is now forty per cent of…

NORML, Peter Dunne and Family First all agree patients should have more access to effective medicinal cannabis. The question is How?

Instead of wasting time and money on years of pharmaceutical-level testing, NORML says we should follow the Australian approach, treat it as a herbal remedy, and immediately allow compassionate access. A TVNZ poll last weekend showed an increase in support for medicinal cannabis, and Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne said if medicinal cannabis is effective, he will back it: "If those products are shown as a result of the normal testing…

NORML and Family First agree NZ’s medicinal cannabis policies need to change

NORML is pleased to note that the conservative group Family First is calling for reforms to our outdated policies around medicinal cannabis. In their recent press release, Family First says they are now calling for: the expansion of research into the components of the marijuana plant for delivery via non-smoked forms. (Supported by NZMA) the establishment of an emergency or research program that allows seriously ill patients to obtain non-smoked…

Chris Fowlie on The Daily Blog: Let’s have an honest discussion on medicinal cannabis

Originally published on The Daily Blog, 16 April 2015 Safer than aspirin[1], or a sneaky ruse to legalise the devil’s weed? Patients and health professionals say cannabis may be a “wonder drug[2]” that relieves conditions from back pain and nausea to fibromyalgia, cancer[3] and epilepsy. But not according to our Ministry of Health. The only form of medicinal cannabis they permit is Sativex[4], an extract made in the UK…

Petition to Decriminalise Medicinal Cannabis

"Decriminalise the use of medicinal cannabis in its raw form." Click here to sign this petition at Avaaz.org New Zealand patients need safe legal access to medicinal cannabis Find out more about medicinal cannabis Download or read NORML’s leaflet about Medical Cannabis [PDF] Why this is important The use of cannabis for medical purposes, is essential to many terminally ill and debilitated New Zealanders who would benefit from it.…

The Media Should Stop Pretending Marijuana’s Risks Are a Mystery — The Science Is Clear

We now know as much about cannabis as we know about alcohol, tobacco and many prescription drugs. Speaking recently with the Los Angeles Times, UCLA professor and former Washington state "pot czar" Mark Kleiman implied that we as a society are largely ignorant when it comes to the subject of weed. Speaking with Times columnist Patt Morrison, Kleiman stated, “I keep saying we don't know nearly as much about cannabis as…

Review of the National Drug Policy – submissions close 28 Feb 2014

The Ministry of Health has announced on its website that submissions are now open for the review of the National Drug Policy. Download NORML's submission to the New National Drug Policy here. The previous NDP expired in 2012. NORML's Chris Fowlie was invited to take part in a "innovation session" in June 2013 to come up with some new policy ideas that, unfortunately, had to remain within the current…

Stroke risk caused by tobacco not cannabis

Prohibitionists are grasping at straws by claiming that cannabis is linked to strokes, Norml president Julian Crawford says. In the Auckland University study, all but one of the stroke patients who were cannabis users also used tobacco regularly. According to the US National Stroke Association, "Smoking tobacco doubles the risk for stroke when compared to a non-smoker. It reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, causing the heart…

Cannabis legalisation in US shows opportunity for NZ tourism

Monday, 12 November 2012, 1:25 pm Press Release: NORML Norml New Zealand welcomes the legalisation of cannabis in the US states of Colorado and Washington and call for a similar law change here. Norml vice-president Abe Gray said many people choose to visit and immigrate to New Zealand especially because of the laid back kiwi attitude and relaxed atmosphere. "New Zealand has the highest rate of cannabis use in…

USA: Six States To Decide On Marijuana Measures On Election Day

Historic Propositions to Legalize Personal Use Amounts of Cannabis For All Adults Hold Double Digit Leads In Colorado and Washington Washington, DC: Millions of voters will decide on Election Day in favor of ballot measures to legalize and regulate the use of cannabis by adults. Voters in three states - Colorado, Oregon, and Washington - will decide on statewide ballot measures to legalize the possession and distribution of cannabis…

Study: Synthetic Cannabinoids Produce Anti-Cancer Effects In Human Liver Cancer Cells

As the debate continues in New Zealand about regulating the availability of products containing synthetic cannabinoids, a new study has shown two particular compounds exhibit anti-cancer effects in human liver cancer cells. This report is from US NORML's Paul Armentano. Thursday, 11 October 2012 Tehran, Iran: The administration of synthetic cannabinoid agonists reduce cell viability in human hepacarcinoma cells and may be a potential option for the treatment of…

Regulation will reduce teen cannabis use, says NORML

Current drug policy is resulting in widespread teenage cannabis use while a regulated market would make cannabis use adults-only in licensed premises. Despite strict cannabis laws, New Zealand has the highest rate of teen cannabis use in the world. Meanwhile, the Netherlands have the most relaxed cannabis laws for adults in the world but has the lowest rate of teen cannabis use. “New Zealand needs to take a leaf…

Scientific Review: “There Is Now Clear Evidence That Cannabinoids Are Useful For The Treatment Of Various Medical Conditions”

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director (USA) August 9, 2012 For the second time in recent months, a scientific paper published in a peer-reviewed journal has thoroughly rebutted the present Schedule Istatus of cannabis under US federal law, which states that the plant and its organic constituents possess a “high potential for abuse,” and that they lack “accepted medical use” and “accepted safety … under medical supervision.” According to…

Five Scientific Conclusions About Cannabis That The Mainstream Media Doesn’t Want You To Know

The government and mainstream media like to push studies touting the purported dangers of marijuana, while ignoring scientific evidence that demonstrates the opposite, writes Paul Armentano. While studies touting the purported dangers of cannabis are frequently pushed by the federal government and, therefore, all but assured mainstream media coverage, scientific conclusions rebutting pot propaganda or demonstrating potential positive aspects of the herb often tend to go unnoticed. Here are five…

Medical cannabis laws associated with fewer suicides

"Policymakers weighing the pros and cons of legalization should consider... that (these) laws may lead to fewer suicides among young adult males" New Zealand has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world - especially for young males. We also have the highest rate of cannabis arrests in the world, with police spending 330,000 hours per year chasing pot heads. New research has shown that in the…

Medical Cannabis Laws Have No Discernable Adverse Impact On Adolescents’ Pot Use

by Paul Armentano, US NORML Deputy Director The enactment of state laws allowing for the limited legal use of cannabis by qualified patients has little to no causal effect on broader marijuana use, according to data published online in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. Investigators at McGill University in Montreal obtained state-level estimates of marijuana use from the 2002 through 2009 US National Survey on Drug Use and Health.…

JAMA: Long-Term Exposure To Cannabis Smoke Is Not Associated With Adverse Effects On Pulmonary Function

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director Exposure to cannabis smoke, even over the long-term, is not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function. That’s the conclusion of a major clinical trial published today in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA). Investigators at the University of California, San Francisco analyzed the association between marijuana exposure and pulmonary function over a 20 year period in a cohort of 5,115…

Medical Council wrong, says NORML

Contrary to what the Medical Council says, cannabis is not illegal if used with a license or prescription, says cannabis law reform group NORML. "This is the same as with opiates such as morphine which are commonly prescribed," said spokesperson Chris Fowlie. "Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act is for issuing licenses. One of the conditions in the associated regulations is to have the written support of…

Amputee’s arrest poor use of police time

GreenCross facilitator and medical cannabis user Billy McKee has been arrested and is facing four charges of supplying cannabis, and one charge of cultivation, despite a recent recommendation from the Law Commission that Police should not prosecute medical users. UPDATE! NZ Police are now trying to "close down" the Greencross website, claiming Billy McKee "used the website to facilitate committing offences against the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975." Press…