Australia CONTACTs, LINKS and More | a Medical Cannabis Resource Center Info page

Erowid Cannabis Vault : Legal Status, Marijuana (ORG, Info) Cannabis laws state by state. Decriminalized in Western Australia & South Australia. Tasmania, Victoria, & Queensland policies involve ticketing for below 50 grams. visit: http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_law.shtml

Drug Policy Alliance: Drug Policy Around the World > Drug Policy by Region > Australia/New Zealand (ORG, Info) For the most part marijuana was little known or used in Australia until the 1960s. Australian drug laws closely followed the development of international drug treaties. Up until the late 1960s, few law enforcement resources were devoted to policing drug laws. This was due to relatively little use (or public awareness) of illicit drugs. By the early 1970s, however, there was an upsurge in the use of illicit drugs. A number of studies report an increase in the use of marijuana and heroin. The increase in heroin dependence during the early 1970s corresponded with a marked increase in property crime. It was widely assumed that these developments were linked. Visit: http://www.drugpolicy.org/global/drugpolicyby/australianew/

Drug Policy Alliance: Marijuana Regulation Bibliography - Australia (ORG, Info) Marijuana Regulation Bibliography by Nadelmann, Ethan, et al. Sept 1998. Royal Commission into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs, South Australia. Cannabis: A discussion paper. Adelaide, Australia: Gillingham Printers Pty. Ltd. 1978. ... visit: http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/bibliography/regulation/index.cfm

Resources, AUSTRALIA * Cannabis-campaigners-guide-activists-contacts. This info courtesy of CANNABIS CAMPAIGNER'S GUIDE; to LEGALISE CANNABIS AND for OTHER ACTIVISTS GROUPS. Visit: http://www.ccguide.org.uk/activists.php for more!

HEMP SA INC - HELP END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION SOUTH AUSTRALIA (ORG, ACTN) PO BOX 1019, KENT TOWN, 5071, S.A., AUSTRALIA * phone: (08) 8297 9442 * Visit: http://www.hemp.on.net/

HEMP ON NET - Australia. (ORG, LINKS) Medical Cannabis. Industrial Hemp. Aotearoa/ NZ ... For those who are currently using cannabis for medical purposes, and for those who intend to ... visit: http://www.hemp.on.net/final_folder/what_you_can_do/links1.html

Australian Democrats - SA Division | MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR SA? (ORG, ACTN) Tightly controlled medical marijuana is a common sense way of reducing the suffering of many South Australians,? said Ms Kanck. ... SA Democrats MP Sandra Kanck will introduce a bill to the SA Parliament to remove fines for the use of doctor prescribed marijuana where other medications are not effective. “All drugs are dangerous and all drugs have side-effects but many of them can have medicinal benefits - as long as their use is strictly controlled.” Visit:

Medicinal Cannabis Information Service (ORG; ACTN, Info) ETHICAL MEDICINAL CANNABIS SUPPLIES (EMCS), is a non profit group of Nth NSW people who grow small amounts of cannabis for primarily their own use. These people are committed to supplying good quality, low cost, cannabis to people in genuine medicinal need. Up until 1960's cannabis was used medicinally and was included on the Australian Pharmacopoeia, when it was removed for political rather than scientific grounds. During this subsequent period of prohibition, information on cannabis and especially its medicinal properties have been highly suppressed. It must be accepted that cannabis is being used in Australia for medical reasons by many people - these many thousands of people have not found relief ... visit: http://www.medical-cannabis-information-service.com/oursubmission.html

nimbinaustralia.com (ORG, Info) Alternative Lifestyle Community Directory - networking nimbin now * Including, but not limited to the AUSTRALIAN CANNABIS LAW REFORM MOVEMENT. Visit: http://www.nimbinaustralia.com/

StickyPoint Magazine - Australian Cannabis Culture (BIZ, MAG) StickyPoint Magazine is a publication based on the Australian Cannabis Culture. “StickyPoint Magazine, Australia’s latest and greatest cannabis magazine. We are proud and excited about this magazine and we have enjoyed a wonderful reaction from all who have been introduced to the project. We have the best Australian writers and contributors and present a clear, informative and educational look at all of the positives cannabis has to offer the country and the globe ... Cannabis Clinicians to educate colleagues about the plant's medical uses.” Visit: http://www.stickypointmagazine.com/

Head Shop Supply: Medical Marijuana Seeds, Medicinal Cannabis Marijuana (BIZ, Retail) Currently there are no medicinal laws for cannabis in Australia. Head Shop Supply does not sell, handle or ship any products on this site. All products including marijuana seeds, cannabis seeds, pipes, bongs, absinthe, herbal bud, mushrooms, hemp, salvia, cigars and cigarettes are legal in the countries in which the products are for sale. Please check your local laws before you decide to buy. Visit: http://www.headshopsupply.com/medical.php

The HEMP BAR (BIZ, CoffeeHouse) They've been open since December 1999 and "in reality" have received heaps of support and positive feed back from more than 1,000,000 visitors from all walks of life, they have sent millions and millions of images up to the web of real people using real cannabis, and so far not a single axe murder or other civil disturbance! Visit: http://www.nimbinhempbar.com/

Nimbin HEMP Embassy (ORG; News, Info, Action) Cannabis information and law reform in Australia. Nimbin Hemp Embassy was established in 1992. The Embassy’s prime activities are promoting drug law reform by educating the community in general, and promoting a more tolerant and compassionate attitude to people in general. ... The Medical Use of Cannabis: Recent Developments, by Gareth Griffith and Marie Swain, BriefingPaper No ... This interview is with Smoulder - a unique individual who has cerebral palsy, and suffers that little bit more because of the prohibition of cannabis. This Interview was made in 1999 at the People's Drug Summit in the Domain, in Sydney. Smoulder: "I get very angry and can't understand why people are not free to smoke openly and freely in Australia". Visit: http://www.hempembassy.net/hempe/medical.html for more.

Organizations Supporting Access to Therapeutic Cannabis - Australia (ORG, Info) As Compiled by Patients Out of Time * Australian National Task Force on Cannabis - 1994 * Australian Medical Association (New South Wales) Limited - 1999 * British Medical Association - 1997 * New South Wales (Australia) Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes - 2000, and more > File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - visit: http://www.medicalcannabis.com/PDF/Grouplist.pdf

Online ORGs, Chat Rooms and Forums

Meetup.com | Medical Marijuana Advocates, Medical Marijuana Meetups, events, clubs and groups (ORG, Forum) Find Medical Marijuana Advocates and Medical Marijuana Meetups near you … Meet other locals who support the use of Marijuana for medicinal reasons and who would like to work to reform the current marijuana laws. Meetup.com helps people find others who share their interest or cause, and form lasting, influential, local community groups that regularly meet face-to-face. We believe that the world will be a better place when everyone has access to a people-powered local Meetup Group. That's their goal. visit: http://medmarijuana.meetup.com/

Ganja Grocer (BIZ; Forum, Info and Resources) Welcome to Ganja Grocer - Your Online Medical Marijuana Resource Center MADE BY AND FOR STATE APPROVED PATIENTS, DISPENSARIES, PHYSICIANS & ATTORNEYS. We are your Medical Marijuana Resource Center. Learn How to Become a Legal Medical Marijuana Patient. If you live in a state with Medical Marijuana Laws, Come visit our forums today! Go to: http://www.ganjagrocer.com/

Canna-Nation: Uniting the Global Cannabis Culture (ORG, Forum) Medical Cannabis Descrimination - OZ Stoners * Medical Cannabis Descrimination, A sufferers point of view ... “G'Day all from Australia. I am a 24 year old Cannabis consumer and Cataplexy sufferer. (Cataplexy is a complex neurological sieizure/paralysis disorder). I tried the pills the docs. gave me for my neurological problem (seizures, nightmares, tremors, paralysis....nasty stuff) and it didn't help. The only thing I find helps is the NATURAL Cannabis herb.” ozstoners.com is dedicated to providing their members with the best possible environment to discuss cultivation of marijuana, other various ethno botanical plants and related subjects. Visit: https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners.com/index.php?showtopic=5840&mode=linear

compassioncorner.org | Welcome to Cannabis Compassion Corner - Medical Marijuana, Growing and more (ORG, Info) A not-for-profit online cannabis compassion club, dedicated to providing the information and resources necessary for people to grow and care. compassioncorner.org is a not-for-profit online organization comprised of caring individuals compassionate to the needs of medical marijuana users around the world. We remain dedicated to providing the information, support, and resources necessary for anyone who has the desire to grow and care for their own cannabis garden ... A place where cannabis and compassion become one. Visit: http://www.compassioncorner.org/

NEWs, Info & Announcements

Nimbin Mardi Grass festival and Cannabis Law Reform Rally (ORG, ACTN) Medical Cannabis Information, and more * Be sure to Bookmark the Mardi Grass Website as many of these links take you offsite. Origins of the Nimbin Mardi Grass, and more. Come to Mardi Grass - first Saturday in May to coincide with the Global Marijuana Marches - and remember that it's a drug law reform rally and not just a pot party. They're there to make some points not just to get out of it, and remember to take some of the magick, idealism and commitment home with you when you go, there's enough to spare. visit: http://www.nimbinmardigrass.com/

Bot! :-] breaking Australian news! [NEWS, BOT] The Latest Australian Cannabis and Drug News. DrugSenseBot automatically tracks the very latest breaking drug news from around the world, many times an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You just can't get more recent breaking drug news, anywhere. ... visit: http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/australia

sBMJ | Focus on cannabis (ORG, Article {2002} ) Focus on cannabis. “Laws governing cannabis consumption are often shrouded in medical, political, and legal controversy. Antony D'Angelo explains the United Kingdom highly publicised "Lambeth experiment" and takes a look at the attitudes towards the drug in some other countries. Those of you who were hoping to make a "Lambeth Walk" a little more interesting by openly smoking cannabis in the London borough had better think again. As of 1 August 2002, cannabis users once again face being arrested for openly smoking the drug in public. .... In Australia, criminal laws and penalties for cannabis offences vary from … “

studentBMJ (Students British Medical Journal) is a monthly international medical journal for students with an interest in medicine. It was launched in 1995 and contains articles that have been specially commissioned with medical students in mind. It also features carefully selected articles from the BMJ. studentBMJ.com is a website owned by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. The BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (BMJPG) is the innovative publishing division of the British Medical Association (BMA) and is one of the world leaders in medical publishing. The BMJ Group complements the activities of the BMA. Visit: http://www.studentbmj.com/issues/02/09/life/342.php for more on the story.

CENTER FOR COGNITIVE LIBERTY & ETHICS: Thought Criminals (ORG, Article) Prepared for Members and Committees of State Legislatures. Medical Marijuana & Cognitive Liberty. First Amendment Implications of Marijuana Legislation by Analyst: Richard Glen Boire, J.D. for the CENTER FOR COGNITIVE LIBERTY & ETHICS (CCLE). Executive Summary: “Medical marijuana is controversial for one reason; namely, as part and parcel of its beneficial medicinal properties, the plant produces a mild shift in consciousness that many people find enjoyable, beneficial, and in some cases spiritual. Under well-established legal principles related to intellectual freedom, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and privacy, the government is not permitted to restrain the manner or mode in which a person thinks. The Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics submits this analysis to clarify that concerns related to the psychoactive effects of marijuana (when used for medicine or otherwise) are not only misplaced, such concerns are contrary to law in light of our nation’s abiding respect for individual liberty and freedom of thought.” File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLMedical marijuana is controversial for one reason; namely, ..... Legislative Options for Cannabis in Australia, Report on the National Task Force … viait: http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/pdf/medmj_rept.pdf

International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM) * (ORG, Info) was founded in March 2000. It is a scientific society advocating the improvement of the legal situation for the use of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) and its pharmacologically most important active compounds, the cannabinoids, for therapeutic applications through promotion of research and dissemination of information. The IACM declares that it is the right of doctors to be able to discuss the medicinal use of cannabis with their patients. Visit: http://cannabis-med.org/home.htm

more NEWs, Events & History

marijuana.org | Resources from the medical marijuana patients who wrote California's Proposition 215. (ORG, Info) “Thank you to the People of Australia for a wonderful experience down under. We smoked medical cannabis from Tazmania and all over Australia. Nimbin is Awesome” visit: http://www.marijuana.org/IndexLongPage.html

Australia: "Super Dope" Marijuana Scare Prompts Threats to Ban Bongs (ORG, LINKs {News, 2007}) An annual drug report that mentions the possibility that Vietnamese Australians have visited Canada to learn marijuana cultivation techniques has led to a new outbreak of Reefer Madness Down Under, as well as threats from the national and New South Wales government that they intend to ban bongs and other marijuana-smoking devices. The majority of cannabis consumed in Australia is domestically produced .... visit: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/486/super_dope_marijuana_scare_ban_bongs_australia

MarijuanaNews.Com with Richard Cowan, The Original Marijuana Blog * (ORG, LINKs {News, 2006} ) Australian Medical And Legal Associations Support Medical Marijuana; "If I have a disease, I have a human right to be treated with the best medicine possible." … “Marijuana would have to be grown legally to support any such move, the convenor of the Australian Committee for Medical Cannabis”, Timothy Moore, said. ... MarijuanaNews.Com, Freedom has nothing to fear from the truth. Visit: http://www.marijuananews.com/marijuananews/cowan/australian_medical_and_legal_ass.htm

Cannabis News: Australia: Teens Turn To Cannabis After Parental Separation (ORG, LINKs {News, 2006} ) University of Queensland research has ... Australia: Medical News Today --- Splitting parents who shack up with new partners can unwittingly push their children towards cannabis use. University of Queensland research has shown a link between cannabis use and marital changes after studying 3008 mothers and their children up to age 21, between 2001 and 2004 in Brisbane.

"Our study suggests that exposure to three or more changes in maternal marital status during childhood and early adolescence more than doubles the risk of a child beginning to use cannabis," lead researcher Dr Reza Hayatbakhsh said. Visit: http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=11125

Harm Reduction Journal | Survey of Australian adults who had used cannabis for medical purposes (ORG, LINKs {News, 2005} ) Australian medical cannabis users are risking legal ramifications, ... Background. The New South Wales State Government recently proposed a trial of the medical use of cannabis. Australians who currently use cannabis medicinally do so illegally and without assurances of quality control. Given the dearth of local information on this issue, this study explored the experiences of medical cannabis users. Methods. Australian adults who had used cannabis for medical purposes were recruited using media stories. A total of 147 respondents were screened by phone and anonymous questionnaires were mailed, to be returned by postage paid envelope. Visit: http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/18

UNSW: The University of New South Wales - Sydney Australia - News (ORG, LINKs {News, 2005} ) ... interest in Australia in formally investigating the therapeutic potential of cannabis or investigating the practices of current medical ... Older Australians using cannabis for medical purposes: new study. “Older Australians are using cannabis for medical purposes to treat a range of health problems, a study released today has found. Chronic pain and arthritis were among the most common medical conditions for which cannabis was reportedly used. Almost one third (31 percent) of the sample were aged 50 years or over, and one in ten (nine percent) aged 60 years plus. Australians who currently use cannabis medicinally do so illegally and without assurances of quality control. To date, there has been little interest in Australia in formally investigating the therapeutic potential of cannabis or investigating the practices of current medical users.” Visit: http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2005/oct/Cannabis.html

Australia: No Jail for Cannabis Doctor :: hightimes.com (BIZ, MAG {News, Info: 2006} ) >> news category >> medical news - Source: The Australian, By Graham Storer. “A SYDNEY doctor and cannabis campaigner who grew almost 50,000 "benign" marijuana plants will not be jailed, a Newcastle court has ruled. Andrew John Katelaris was convicted on March 8 this year after pleading not guilty to cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis. He grew the 49,519 plants on his property at Salisbury, near Dungog in the NSW Hunter Valley, between December 2004 and January 2005.’ Visit: http://www.hightimes.com/ht/news/content.php?bid=1410&aid=10

Cannabis Culture Forums: Australia: Court's OK for 'medical' cannabis (ORG, LINKs {News, 2004} ) #949554 - Court's OK for ' medical ' cannabis By GAVIN LOWER, Law Reporter. “A HOBART magistrate has decided not to penalise a man who pleaded guilty to cannabis offences -- because he was using the drug for medicinal purposes. The unusual case saw magistrate Sam Mollard decide not to fine, jail or impose a bond on Moonah man Campbell John Watt, 55, for using and growing cannabis. "Just a few times in the 15 years I've been doing this job I have come across a case, yours is one, where I have been convinced that the person standing where you're now standing is actually using cannabis for a specific and good reason," Mr Mollard told Watt. Visit: http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=949554&Main=949554

Cannabis Culture Forums: Australia To Test Medical Cannabis (ORG, LINKs {News, 2003} ) ... Cannabis is said to ease chronic pain Australia's most populous state has ... Cannabis is said to ease chronic pain Australia's most populous state has announced plans to legalise the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The authorities in New South Wales say they will launch a four-year trial to see if the banned plant can alleviate chronic pain. Under the proposal, patients will be able to gain access to the drug through the state's health department. Visit: http://www.cannabisculture.com/cgi/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?&Number=546258

IngentaConnect Medical Marijuana Initiatives: Are They Justified (BIZ, Article {2003} ) Medical Marijuana Initiatives: Are They Justified? How Successful Are They Likely to Be? By Authors: Hall W.; Degenhardt L. Source: CNS Drugs, Volume 17, Number 10, 2003, pp. 689-697(9). Publisher: Adis International. Abstract: The principal constituent of cannabis, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is moderately effective in treating nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and acute and chronic pain. Oral THC (dronabinol) and the synthetic cannabinoid, nabilone, have been registered for medical use in the US and UK, but they have not been widely used because patients find it difficult to titrate doses of these drugs. Advocates for the medical use of cannabis argue that patients should be allowed to smoke cannabis to relieve these above-mentioned symptoms. In the UK and Australia, committees of inquiry have recommended medical prescription (UK) and exemption from criminal prosecution (New South Wales, Australia), but governments have not accepted these recommendations. Visit: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/adis/cns/2003/00000017/00000010/art00001

Australia: New South Wales plans to allow medical use of cannabis (ORG, LINKs {News, 2003} ) Australia's most populous state plans to allow seriously ill people to use cannabis as a medicine. However, a proposal for a four-year trial period by New South Wales state premier Bob Carr provoked outrage among anti-drug campaigners even though he vowed to maintain the state's tough stance on recreational use. "When it comes to marijuana this is not a social revolution," Carr, of the centre-left Labour party, said on 21 May. "This is a method of us doing something compassionate for someone living with multiple sclerosis or receiving massive chemotherapy treatment." Visit: http://www.hempworld.com/HempPharm/articles/Australia.html

Drug Policy Alliance: Australia: Doctors To Prescribe Medical Marijuana (ORG, LINKs {News, 2003} ) Home > News > Australia: Doctors To Prescribe Medical Marijuana > Manage ... plans to create an Office of Medical Cannabis in the NSW Department of Health ... visit: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/10_03_03australia.cfm

Article - Medical Cannabis Trial Gets Mixed Reception @ AccessMyLibrary.com (ORG, LINKs {News, 2003} ) Excerpt: "AUSTRALIA's first medicinal cannabis trial, announced by NSW Premier Bob Carr, has received a mixed reception from health and community groups. Mr Carr announced a four-year trial to allow the medical use of cannabis to alleviate the chronic suffering of people with severe pain from cancer, HIV/AIDS, nausea from chemotherapy, and spinal cord injuries. Visit: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2930&purchase_type=ITM&item_id=0286-20313656

International Association for Cannabus as Medicine (IACM)-Bulletin (2003) Science/Australia: Nabilone not better than codeine in pain relief. According to an Australian study the synthetic THC derivative nabilone does not provide any better pain relief than the weak opiate codeine. Nabilone is available in Australia for the treatment of nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. Dr. Dilip Kapur, from Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, studied nabilone in 80 patients with chronic pain and nerve damage in a double-blind cross-over design. Half were given a codeine-like drug and the others nabilone, which was swapped after six weeks. Dr Kapur said neither medication was particularly useful but codeine provided better pain relief than nabilone. He said the study provided strong evidence that cannabis was not beneficial for treating strong pain. However, it could be helpful in certain circumstances, he said. Visit: http://cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=158

AEGiS-AFP News: Australia-cannabis: Australian state to trial (BIZ, LINKs {News, 2003} ) SYDNEY, May 20 (AFP) - Australia's most populous state on Tuesday unveiled plans to allow cannabis use for medical purposes. Visit: http://www.aegis.com/NEWS/AFP/2003/AF030552.html

Parliament of Australia, Canberra, Australia: The Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes (GOV, Article) Research Note no. 13 2003-04; The Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes by Maurice Rickard, Social Policy Group (2003). The Premier of NSW has proposed that a four year trial of the medicinal use of cannabis be conducted in NSW.(1) This research note examines the background to the medicinal use of cannabis, recent overseas experience, and areas of possible Commonwealth involvement with the NSW trial. In Canada , there have been 582 approved medical cannabis users as of July 2003 (0.002% of ... Goods Administration (TGA) for therapeutic use in Australia ... visit: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/Pubs/RN/2003-04/04rn13.htm

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Australia to test medical cannabis (BIZ, LINKs {News, 2003} ) New South Wales state says it will allow the medicinal use of cannabis for pain relief in a four-year trial. Australia to test medical cannabis. Cannabis is said to ease chronic pain. Australia's most populous state has announced plans to legalise the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The authorities in New South Wales say they will launch a four-year trial to see if the banned plant can alleviate chronic pain. Under the proposal, patients will be able to gain access to the drug through the state's health department. A number of countries, including the Netherlands and Canada, have laws approving the medicinal use of cannabis. Visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3044321.stm

MyDr.com.au (BIZ, News {2002}) CANNABIS USE IN AUSTRALIAN TEENAGE GIRLS ON A HIGH. Teenage girls are now just as likely as teenage boys to use cannabis, according to Australian research that contradicts the findings of earlier studies. A household survey found one-quarter of adolescents aged 13-17 had tried cannabis. Use in teenage girls had increased at a more rapid rate. ... ranks myDr as the number 5 Health and Medical Information Website in Australia. Visit: http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=3569

MarijuanaNews.Com, Australian Study of Medical Cannabis Recommends Limited Exemptions for Patients. Misrepresents House Of Lords Report and MAPS/NORML Vaporization Studies. (ORG, News {2001}) (MarijuanaNews note: New South Wales Premier Bob Carr is a hard line prohibitionist in a state that has one of the world’s worst heroin problems. It is sadly all too clear that the needs of the sick and dying who might benefit from medical access to cannabis remain secondary to the maintaining cannabis prohibition, at all costs. This report proposes a system that will burden the most vulnerable members of society with unrealistic requirements that will not take care of those who need medical cannabis most - and most urgently. Visit: http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=471

Largest Australian State Ponders Legalizing Medical Marijuana (ORG, LINKs {News, 2001} ) … gain the benefits associated with the use of cannabis without facing criminal sanctions. ... “New South Wales Premier Bob Carr (Labor Party) is considering legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, according to a recent Associated Press report. "Carr has said he has a moral obligation to consider legalizing the use of marijuana to relieve the pain of seriously ill people," AP said. Visit: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4349

eMJA: Rising cannabis use in Indigenous communities (ORG, LINKs {News, 2002} ) (Medical Journal of Australia) MJA 2002 177 (7): 395-396 by Alan R Clough, Sheree Cairney, Paul Maruff and Robert Parker * NT police have targeted cannabis in remote communities. ... Letters - Rising cannabis use in Indigenous communities. TO THE EDITOR: We write to alert policy makers and clinicians to the challenge presented by rising cannabis use in north-east Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory, given that many current cannabis users were previously petrol sniffers. In the past five years, there has been a rise in cannabis use and evidence of expansion of supply links in the Miwatj region. There are concerns that rising cannabis use is associated with social effects: increased family violence, drug-alcohol psychosis, self-harm and suicide, and community disruption. Policy makers seeking to foster initiatives to minimise harmful outcomes must develop general policies that can have local effects in a varied Northern Territory population. NT police have targeted cannabis in remote communities. A Substance Abuse Select Committee and Illicit Drugs Task Force, each with Indigenous representation, will report to the NT government during 2002. Visit: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_07_071002/clough_071002.html

eMJA: The Medical Journal of Australia; Allowing the medical use of cannabis (ORG, LINKs {News, 2001} ) Wayne D Hall, Louisa J Degenhardt and David Currow; MJA 2001; 175: 39-40. These recommendations do not address the needs of those currently using cannabis for medical purposes, as THC is not registered for medical use in Australia ... Cannabis has been advocated as a treatment for nausea, vomiting, wasting, pain and muscle spasm in cancer, HIV/AIDS, and neurological disorders. Such uses are prohibited by law; cannabinoid drugs are not registered for medical use in Australia and a smoked plant product is unlikely to be registered. A New South Wales Working Party has recommended granting exemption from prosecution to patients who are medically certified to have specified medical conditions. This proposal deserves to be considered by other State and Territory governments.

IN AUGUST 1999, the New South Wales Premier convened a Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes1 to advise on whether cannabis and cannabinoid drugs had any medical uses and, if so, to suggest how these substances could be made available for medical use without decriminalising cannabis for non-medical use. The Working Party's report was tabled in Parliament on 1 November 2000. Its recommendations were endorsed in principle by the Premier and are currently being considered by the NSW government. We believe that they deserve wider consideration. Visit: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/175_01_020701/hall/hall.html

Parliament of New South Wales, Sydney; The Medical Use of Cannabis: Recent Devleopments - Briefing Paper (GOV, Article) The Medical Use of Cannabis: Recent Devleopments (1999) by Gareth Griffith and Marie Swain. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. It should be emphasised that this paper does not consider the social/recreational use of cannabis/marijuana and the arguments for and against its legalisation or decriminalisation in this context. The paper's sole concern is with the separate and distinct issue of the medical use of cannabis/marijuana. Debate on the medical use of cannabis/marijuana has also occurred in Australia in recent years and this is discussed, along with a comment on the current visit: http://www.anzacatt.org.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/260901D7FDDCE04FCA256ECF000844FB

Medical Marijuana in Australia - Spring 1995 (ORG, LINKs {News, 1995 } ) Australian efforts to end the medical prohibition of marijuana are part of a rapidly expanding global debate over the inexpensive plant's therapeutic ... Medical Marijuana in Australia. Australia has suddenly taken the lead in the rapidly accelerating global debate over marijuana's medical use.

Last November, politicians in the Australian Capital Territory voted to allow doctors to determine when marijuana is medically appropriate. The decision enraged the Australian Federal Police and intensive lobbying efforts began to reverse the legislative action. In a scene that has become all too familiar, legislators caved-in to the demands of the police, reversed their earlier action, and voted to block doctors from legally prescribing marijuana. Visit: http://www.druglibrary.org/olsen/medical/act/australi.html

More ORGs & BIZ

The Cancer Council New South Wales :: Medical use of marijuana (cannabis) Fact Sheet (ORG, Info) Cannabis is a herbaceous plant belonging to the hemp family and has two subspecies - cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. It is cannabis indica which is the main source of the drug marijuana and various other preparations. Cannabis usage usually takes the form of smoking herbal cannabis (marijuana) consisting of dried leaves and female flower heads. Cannabis has 21 chemically-related carbon alkaloids which are called cannabinoids of which the most notable are delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (known as THC) and cannabidiol. Cannabinoid receptors are found in distinct areas of the brain and spinal column. Visit: http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/editorial.asp?pageid=1778

Medical Cannabis Survey by the University of New South Wales (Australia) (ORG, Info {Survey}) If you live in Australia, use cannabis for medicinal purposes, and would like to to participate in an anonymous survey ... Medical Cannabis Survey of the University of New South Wales (Australia). The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, Australia is conducting a survey of medicinal cannabis use. In Australia, there is still little known about the experiences of people who use cannabis for symptom relief. As the NSW Government has announced it will conduct a trial of medical cannabis use, we need a better understanding of the issues experienced by people who are currently using cannabis for this purpose. If you live in Australia, use cannabis for medicinal purposes, and would like to participate in an anonymous survey please visit:

http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/australia.htm

…download the survey, fill out and send the filled questionnaire to: Peter Gates, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW, Sydney NSW 2052

Australian Medical Association (ORG) Endorses Medical Marijuana Trials (1999) "The Australian Medical Association is the latest group to join a worldwide coalition of health organizations calling for legal access to medical marijuana ... Australian Medical Association Endorses Medical Marijuana Trials, Decriminalization For Personal Use. “The government should make marijuana available as a medicine to seriously ill patients, and remove criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) declared recently. They said that drugs should be treated as a health issue, not as a criminal matter.” Visit: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3994

Family Council on Drug Awareness (FCDA) Cannabis Consumers: Health and Safety tips (ORG, Info) While smoking cannabis (marijuana) is not particularly risky from the standpoint of physical health, common sense cautions against inhaling large amounts of smoke over extended periods of time. Certain practices can further reduce health risks. Among these are the use of foods and tinctures, use of a vaporizer, and smoking safety habits. visit: http://www.fcda.org/safetytips.htm

News-Medical.Net (BIZ, BOOK) New book highlights pros and cons of medical use of cannabis. The book includes the results of the recent NSW Government-approved high THC cannabis trials, the results of the first comprehensive Australian medical ... A new book which brings together the relevant science regarding the beneficial effects of cannabis for identified medical conditions and explains many harmful side effects has been launched at Australia's Southern Cross University today. Its author, Andrew Kavasilas, the founder of the Medical Cannabis Information Service and a noted researcher in the field, has stressed that the publication - "Medical Uses of Cannabis-Information for Medical Practitioners" - is a reference tool and not a manual for treatment. This publication is a summary of peer reviewed literature and international reviews concerning the potential therapeutic uses and harmful effects of cannabis. The book, which retails for AUD$45, is available from the publisher, Inn Press, PO Box 463 Manly NSW 2095, Australia. For more on the story Visit: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=1677

Marijuana Use (BIZ; BOOK) Volume 181, Issues in Society. Chapter 1: Marijuana Use in Australia ? Cannabis use; How marijuana works; Cannabis ... Allowing the medical use of cannabis; The case for medical cannabis. ... “Marijuana or cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia - a third of the Australian population is reported to have used marijuana at some time in their lives. What are the health, psychological and social effects and risks of marijuana use? The use of cannabis to treat a range of serious illnesses has long been controversial - should the prescribed medical use of cannabis be legalised? What are the impacts of marijuana use on crime and the justice system in Australia, and what are the arguments for its current prohibition vs proposed decriminalisation?” Editor: Justin Healey, ISBN 1 876811 90 0, Year 2003, Price: $19.95 visit: http://www.spinneypress.com.au/181_book_desc.html

Australian Government: Department of Health and Ageing (GOV, Article) Legislative options for cannabis use in Australia - Appendix 1: The medicinal use of cannabis; National Drug Strategy Monograph 26 * The medicinal use of cannabis in the ancient world has been well documented (Abel 1980). In the United States, cannabis was first mentioned as a medicinal drug in 1843 and by 1852 it was included in the US dispensatory list of medicines. It was thought to be beneficial in the treatment of 'neuralgia, gout, tetanus, hydrophobia, cholera, convulsions, chorea, hysteria, depression and insanity' (Wood & Bache 1854, cited in Abel 1980, p182). In Australia, tincture of cannabis was used in medicine until the 1960s, when it was declared a prohibited drug (Cartwright 1983). ... The Australian medical community has not been as enthusiastic about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis although many argue that where the drug has been … visit: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubs-drug-cannabis-can_app1.htm

DrugInfo - Medical Cannabis: Australia (GOV, LINKs) The Cancer Council: Medical Use of Marijuana (Cannabis) ? The Medical Use of Cannabis: Recent Developments ... The problems associated with drug use invariably raise a wide range of issues from education and prevention through treatment and rehabilitation to law enforcement. Therefore the NSW Government has adopted a whole-of-government approach to problems associated with drug abuse. The NSW Government has established The Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy to provide leadership, and to assist in the development and implementation of a government-integrated approach to drug programs and policies. Visit: http://www.druginfo.nsw.gov.au/medicinal_use_of_cannabis/medicinal_cannabis_australia

Toronto Hemp Company (THC) - Information - MAPS and NORML studies (BIZ, News {2003} ) STUDY SHOWS VAPORIZER CAN DRASTICALLY REDUCE TOXINS IN MARIJUANA SMOKE. Harmful toxins in marijuana smoke can be effectively avoided by a vaporization device, according to a new study by California NORML and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) with support from a grant from the MPP (Marijuana Policy Project). The study, conducted by Chemic Labs in Canton, Mass., tested vapors from cannabis heated in an herbal vaporizer known as the Volcano® (manufactured by Storz & Bickel GmbH&Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany; http://www.storz-bickel.com) and compared them to smoke produced by combusted marijuana. The Volcano® is designed to heat material to temperatures of 130° to 230° C (266° to 446° F) where medically active vapors are produced, but below the threshold of combustion where smoke is formed. Visit: http://www.torontohemp.com/mapsnorml.htm

Drug Advisory Council of Australian (DACA) Oppose medical cannabis (ORG, Info and Action) · Prohibition deters cannabis use · Risky cannabis cultivation · South Australia worst for cannabis ... visit:

Legal; Current Law