Push for medical cannabis
OLIVIA Newton-John wants Australia to catch up with the rest of the world on medicinal cannabis.
It comes as the Federal Government announces $3 million for clinical trials looking at how cannabis can be used to help treat cancer pain and other side effects.
Cancer patient-turned advocate Newton-John says the funding is a great start but is “frustrated” that only about 11,000 Australians have access to medicinal cannabis.
The singer and actor wants Australia to catch up with the United States when it comes to using the drug for cancer treatment.
“They’ve discovered it hasn’t caused all the problems that people are afraid of,” she said at the annual Wellness Walk and Research Run in Melbourne yesterday.
“People need to let go of that old hippy thing (about the drug).
“It’s helped me incredibly, with pain, with sleep, with anxiety, particularly when I had to wean myself off morphine. And I used cannabis.”
Health Minister Greg Hunt says there was a lack of welldesigned clinical studies looking at medicinal cannabis.
He adds the government was committed to ensuring a safe and quality supply of the drug, but only when prescribed by a medical professional.
Nearly 80 companies have been licensed to grow and harvest medicinal cannabis in Australia the past two-and-ahalf years.
IT’S HELPED ME INCREDIBLY, WITH PAIN, WITH SLEEP, WITH ANXIETY, PARTICULARLY WHEN I HAD TO WEAN MYSELF OFF MORPHINE. AND I USED CANNABIS.” OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN