Medicinal cannabis bill passes

The Government has passed its medicinal cannabis bill, which will establish a regulated market within a year and give those close to death a legal defence before then.

After a long road to third reading, the bill passed yesterday afternoon with the support of Labour, the Greens, and NZ First.

Both the Greens and NZ First won some concessions to the bill, which has been criticised by medicinal marijuana advocates for not going far enough – and by National as ‘‘decriminalisation by stealth’’.

The bill sets up a statutory defence which allows those close to death in palliative care to consume illicit marijuana with a legal defence if prosecuted.

This is intended as a bridging mechanism until the full Medicinal Cannabis Scheme is set up, which will make the process much more simple.

The Green Party has pushed for this to happen no later than a year after the law comes into effect in a few days – and for that market to allow native strains of cannabis to be used, not just cannabis products that had been imported.

NZ First won a concession to extend the legal defence to those in palliative care, not just those who were terminally ill and with less than 12 months to live.

Health Minister David Clark that he was ‘‘delighted’’, ahead of passing the bill.

‘‘This is the most progressive legislation on medicinal cannabis that has ever passed through the Parliament,’’ Clark said.

‘‘We’re doing things to make sure supply will be more available and more affordable over time, and we’re taking a compassionate measure in the meantime to give a defence to those to use illicit cannabis who are in the final stages of life.’’

Clark said the Ministry of Health would release a paper on the planned medicinal scheme early next year and that would be open to public consultation.

The National Party, who voted against the bill, crafted its own medicinal marijuana bill early this year, after voting for the Government bill at its first reading.