Michael Joe Cini
7th October 2019
Australia invests in medical cannabis
Due to growing demand, almost €2 million will be provided for research on medical cannabis and its uses
The use of cannabis for medical purposes is already legal in most of Australia. The Government is now investing nearly €2 million into research on how it can help cancer patients deal with their pain and investigating possible side effects.
This pledge also sends a message on how the Australian Government is committed to making advancements on the use of cannabis and building evidences that support its medical benefits.
Even if it’s legal, there are still doctors that won’t prescribe it to their patients due to lack of knowledge about it, and that’s one of the reasons why they are actively backing this kind of research. A study from the Lambert Initiative in 2018 found that 79% of Australian doctors didn’t really understand the regulatory process, which would lead to a smaller number of patients being able to access these treatments.
Health Minister, Greg Hunt, joined Olivia Newton-John, a strong supporter of the use of the plant for medical purposes, during the Wellness Walk that the singer and actress organises every year in Melbourne.
“Given the increase in prescribed medicinal cannabis, the Government has supported the nation’s medicinal cannabis industry, and cut red tape to help meet demand” said Greg Hunt, who accompanied Newton-John on stage.
He added that over 11.000 patients had been granted the permission, most of them during the last year. Also, the number of companies that possess now the necessary license to grow and to elaborate medicinal cannabis products has gone from just one in March 2017 all the way up to almost 80 companies.
Newton-John, who used cannabis to treat her cancer, said: “Last year, I was flat on my back in the centre (the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre) and this year, through treatment and medicinal cannabis, I am feeling fantastic.”
With many informative talks from regulation, through to real-use cases, sign up to Europe’s Medical Cannabis Event
The Medical Cannabiz World Summit will take place from the 4th to 5th November at the Intercontinental, St Julian’s, Malta, to be followed by the inaugural launch of the Medical Cannabiz World Asia Summit which will be held in Bangkok on the 22nd and 23rd of June 2020 at the Centara Grand Hotel.
