Cannabis year in review: the referendum’s long shadow

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Posted inCampaign Chris Fowlie's Blog Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Cannabis year in review: the referendum’s long shadow

For the second year of the zombie apocalypse, covid cast a long shadow over everything, the referendum left us in a hazy brain fog and the government wished cannabis would just go away – while the rest of the world moved on without us. Yet there is still hope.
Submissions now open on Medicinal Cannabis Bill (deadline 21 March 2018)
Posted inCampaign Events Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Submissions now open on Medicinal Cannabis Bill (deadline 21 March 2018)

Parliament unanimously passed the Government's Medicinal Cannabis Amendment Bill, and the Health Select Committee has wasted no time in opening submissions from the public. NORML will be writing a submission on the Bill, and this is your opportunity to also support safe legal access to medicinal cannabis! How to make a submission Read the Parliamentary guide to making a submission. NORML has produced a guide to making your submission…
Cannabidiol to remain a controlled drug: here’s what is changing

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Posted inChris Fowlie's Blog Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Cannabidiol to remain a controlled drug: here’s what is changing

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has announced Cannabidiol (CBD) will remain a controlled drug with restrictions expected to be lifted in September so that GPs and other doctors can prescribe CBD to patients without needing special approval. Dunne’s changes will help some patients – eventually – but a lot more could be done, writes Chris Fowlie. SEE NORML'S PAGE ON CANNABIDIOL: norml.org.nz/2017/legal-status-of-cannabidiol-cbd/ CBD will remain a controlled drug, just easier to prescribe. Doctors will be able to prescribe approved…
Medical Cannabis Rally Sat 5 August 2017 – Queen Street Auckland
Posted inEvents Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Medical Cannabis Rally Sat 5 August 2017 – Queen Street Auckland

NORML and Auckland Patient's Group presents their 4th Queen Street RALLY for medical cannabis. SATURDAY 5TH AUGUST 2017, NOON TO 2PM. QUEEN STREET, AUCKLAND - OPP. AOTEA SQUARE - CNR OF WAKEFIELD ST. Join us, invited guests and speakers, patients, caregivers and supporters all calling for safe legal access to natural affordable cannabis. The Government's piecemeal changes do not change much for patients, who are still needlessly suffering. Very…
Help medicinal cannabis advocates attend the N.I. GP Conference this June
Posted inEvents Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Help medicinal cannabis advocates attend the N.I. GP Conference this June

Auckland NORML is fundraising to help medicinal cannabis advocates have a stall and professional presence at the North Island G.P. CME Conference, held in Rotorua on 10-12 June 2017.  GP's need education about medicinal cannabis, and support to guide them through the application process. Peter Dunne thinks the problem with slow and tiresome applications lies with doctors, not him. So we are taking up the challenge and bringing cannabis…
Specialists to prescribe medicinal cannabis under Govt proposal
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Specialists to prescribe medicinal cannabis under Govt proposal

In response to sustained lobbying from patients and advocates including NORML, the NZ Government is changing the rules for medicinal cannabis so doctors can prescribe it direct to patients.  It's a step forward, and what we've been saying for years: it's the regulations that prevent doctors prescribing cannabis without special Ministerial approval, and these could be changed any time without needing to change the law. The risk is that…
Legal status of Cannabidiol (CBD)
Posted inFor Media & Students Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Legal status of Cannabidiol (CBD)

UPDATED AUGUST 2017 This is a step forward - but just a small step. Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has announced Cannabidiol (CBD) will remain a controlled drug with restrictions expected to be lifted in September so that GPs and other doctors can prescribe CBD to patients without needing special approval. SUMMARY: GPs and other doctors will be able to prescribe CBD products without needing special approval; CBD products must…
New UMR poll shows overwhelming support for medical cannabis law change, says NORML

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Posted inChris Fowlie's Blog Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

New UMR poll shows overwhelming support for medical cannabis law change, says NORML

A new poll conducted for cannabis campaigners shows New Zealanders want the law changed now, says NORML.  "What may be surprising to some is that most people want herbal cannabis sold at health food stores for therapeutic purposes, alongside the Marjoram," said Chris Fowlie, spokesperson for the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML NZ Inc). The poll was conducted by UMR for Start the Conversation from…
Medical Cannabis “review” has failed to protect patients says NORML
Posted inFor Media & Students Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Medical Cannabis “review” has failed to protect patients says NORML

The government's so-called review of the medicinal cannabis access guidelines has failed to protect patients. "These very minor changes will only help a few people, and even these seriously ill people will need to jump through quite a few hoops to have any chance of approval," said Chris Fowlie, spokesperson for the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML New Zealand Inc). Chris Fowlie recently returned from…
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Patients can bring legally prescribed medicinal cannabis products into New Zealand

For over 20 years NORML has been advising patients who could afford it to get medicinal cannabis prescribed overseas and bring it back legally. The Misuse of Drugs Act allows any patient traveling to bring with them a personal supply of ANY prescribed drug. All countries have similar clauses, so that, for example, someone from NZ can travel with their painkillers or cancer meds. It also means anyone can…
NORML Offers Qualified Support for Binding Referendum on Medicinal Cannabis – But Would Prefer Government Acts Now

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Posted inChris Fowlie's Blog Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

NORML Offers Qualified Support for Binding Referendum on Medicinal Cannabis – But Would Prefer Government Acts Now

New Zealand's oldest cannabis law reform group has offered qualified support for Helen Kelly's proposal for a binding referendum on medicinal cannabis. Cannabis is useful for treating a wide variety of conditions including pain, nausea, inflammation, cancer, epilepsy and diabetes, and according to Government statistics may be used medically by as many as two hundred thousand New Zealanders. In a candid post on The Standard, former Union boss Helen Kelly…
Posted inAbout cannabis Research

Study: Smoking Cannabis Associated With “Significantly Better” Health Outcomes Than Tobacco

Australian research has found cannabis users are just as healthy as non-users, but you probably didn't see any coverage of this in the mainstream media. The key points are: Cannabis-only subjects reported "significantly better" general health and fewer smoking-related health concerns compared to the tobacco-only group. Cannabis-only subjects were less likely to report diagnoses of cancer and diabetes compared to all other groups, including the non-smoking controls General health…
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

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.…
Posted inMedicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

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…