Press Releases

Viewing by tag: medical cannabis

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

    posted on the August 29th, 2016 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the May 20th, 2016 by 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 […]

  • It’s 420 Day: NORML presents the Medical Cannabis rally and march this Saturday 23rd April, and J Day on Saturday 7th May 2016.

    posted on the April 20th, 2016 by norml

    April 20 is known as “420 Day” in the cannabis community. It is a day to celebrate the plant, including its medicinal and sacramental properties, and raise awareness of calls for law reform. All around the world, including here in New Zealand, there will be random acts of civil disobedience at 4:20pm. NORML New Zealand […]

  • The Medical Cannabis March – Sat 23rd April 2016 – Aotea Sq Auckland

    posted on the April 14th, 2016 by norml

    Make medical cannabis legal now! Join us at this rally and protest march, calling for safe legal access to affordable, quality medicinal cannabis. A health issue should not be a crime. Make it legal now! The Medical Cannabis March Facebook page Three reasons to join us on The Medical March, Sat 23rd April: 1. New […]

  • Sign the Rose Renton Petition for Medicinal Cannabis

    posted on the March 22nd, 2016 by Chris

    Kiwis urgently need safe legal access to affordable high quality medicinal cannabis. Rose Renton, mother of Alex Renton and cannabis law reform campaigner, has launched a petition that is backed by NORML and other NZ law reform groups. Download the petition here or right-click the image below, save to your computer, and print it out. […]

  • Patients can bring legally prescribed medicinal cannabis products into New Zealand

    posted on the March 11th, 2016 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the January 15th, 2016 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the June 11th, 2015 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the May 13th, 2015 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the May 12th, 2015 by Chris

    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 […]

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

    posted on the April 16th, 2015 by Chris

    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 […]

  • 2014 Law Reform Conference and NORML AGM – Sat 14 June in Wellington

    posted on the May 8th, 2014 by Chris

    NORML NZ Conference and AGM Saturday 14 June 2014, 9:30am to 5pm Hotel Mercure, 345 The Terrace, Wellington. Join us for our annual cannabis law reform conference – with cannabis reforms in Colorado, Washington and Uruguay, as well as review of the UN drug treaties, and NZ’s ongoing debate about regulating synthetic cannabis substitutes (and […]

  • Study: Regular Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes

    posted on the May 15th, 2013 by norml

    Smoking cannabis could reduce the risk of diabetes by controlling blood sugar Marijuana users had 16% lower fasting insulin levels than non-users They were also less likely to be insulin resistant and had smaller waists Previous research has found cannabis smokers are less likely to be obese   Study: Regular Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced […]

  • NORML’s Chris Fowlie talks legalisation in Colorado and how it might apply to NZ, with Newstalk’s Jack Tame

    posted on the April 20th, 2013 by Chris

    http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/player/ondemand/948590092-world-cannabis-week-to-take-over-colorado World Cannabis Week to take over Colorado New Zealander Chris Fowlie researches cannabis use and cultivation, and he talks to Jack Tame in Colorado, where the drug is legal and celebrating that this weekend. Click to listen in external player or download the mp3 here

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

    posted on the November 2nd, 2012 by norml

    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 – […]

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

    posted on the August 9th, 2012 by norml

    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 […]

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

    posted on the July 27th, 2012 by norml

    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 […]

  • Medical cannabis laws associated with fewer suicides

    posted on the February 25th, 2012 by Chris

    “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 […]

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

    posted on the February 14th, 2012 by norml

    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 […]

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

    posted on the January 11th, 2012 by norml

    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 […]