We ’ re Importing Medical Cannabis , While Police Are Raiding Local Producers
By Paul Gregoire 06 / 05 / 2017 http :// www . sydneycriminallawyers . com . au / blog / were-importing-medicalmarijuana-while-police-are-raiding-local-producers /
The first two commercial batches of legal medicinal cannabis products were imported into Australia earlier this week . The medicines were produced in Canada and are being held by Health House International in WA and the Pharmaceutical Packaging Professionals in Victoria . The imports are part of an interim fast-track scheme announced by Australian health minister Greg Hunt in February . It ’ s designed to help fill the gap in the local market , while domestic production grows to meet the nation ’ s demands . Thirty import licences have been issued , and more batches are expected to arrive later this month from Canada , Switzerland and the Netherlands . The current shipment of medical-grade cannabis oils is produced by CanniMed and come in three strengths to suit different illnesses . The arrival of the medical marijuana products will make it more likely that doctors will now prescribe the drug to patients who are suffering from conditions such as nausea from cancer-related chemotherapy , multiple sclerosis and children afflicted with intractable epilepsy .
But just how accessible will it be ?
Doctors have already been able to prescribe medicinal cannabis products to patients on a case-by-case basis in Australia . But this involved a long approval process via the Therapeutic Goods Administration ( TGA ), as well as prolonged waits for the medicine to arrive from overseas . As of this week , the products will be more readily available for those patients with a prescription . However , for those that don ’ t have one , the process of actually obtaining a prescription is extremely difficult , as the TGA has not approved cannabis-based medicines as a registered product .
Patients either have to go to a doctor who is part of the Authorised Prescriber Scheme – as of March this year there were only 23 doctors registered to do this nationwide – or a Doctor needs to apply on their behalf through the Special Access Scheme .
In both cases , doctors need to convince the TGA that the drug would benefit the patient .
The slow drip of the federal framework
The federal government passed legislation in February last year allowing for the legal cultivation , manufacture and distribution of medical marijuana . Businesses can apply for a licence to grow the plant and produce medicine as of October last year . But to many , the federal medicinal cannabis regime is a pretence . The Office of Drug Control only issued the first licence in mid-February . Nine domestic licences have now been granted . Five allow for cultivation for medicinal purposes , three for cultivation for research , but only one actually allows for the manufacture of the products .
Raiding those who are helping the ill
Meanwhile , as all this red tape holds back patients from receiving the medicine they need , there ’ s a home-grown industry flourishing in Australia , albeit illegally .
Medicinal cannabis experts estimate there are around 100,000 patients using the plant products countrywide , with 1,000 dispensaries supplying them .
And as the federal government hurriedly imports the medicine that ’ s almost impossible to obtain , police are raiding those who are helping sick patients .
The Ubuntu Wellness Clinic was raided in Newcastle on December 1 last year . One of the largest suppliers in the country , the clinic had 2,000 clients .