Therapy could be a ‘game changer’

There are many people living in our community with chronic pain. They are trying to live as good and active lives as possible but access to pain management can be difficult and costly. For Cairns man Brendan McConachy, of Bungalow, medicinal cannabis provides him with the relief he needs for chronic fatigue and pain. Despite being legalised there is still a stigma attached to medicinal cannabis and perhaps a lack of knowledge about what it is.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia president Trent Twomey says because it is an emerging therapy there are extra guidelines in the prescribing and dispensing of the product causing patients like Mr McConachy to go without.

Rugby League immortal Andrew Johns recently described medicinal marijuana as an “absolute game-changer” for him.

Speaking on the Howie Games podcast Johns said seizures, possibly caused from a career taking knocks on the football field, had stopped since taking the treatment, in the form of a drop under the tongue, more than 18 months ago.

He was suffering seizures he described as “scary”. At the time his medical team said “it wouldn’t hurt” to take it alongside his traditional medication. According to Johns chronic pain from a career-ending neck injury had since eased, he was surfing comfortably, was back in the gym and even running for the first time in 10 years.

It’s a big rap from the high-profile commentator but he and others are adding their voices in support of the medication and what they claim it’s done to their lives.

It would seem though there is still a ways to go before supply matches the rising demand.