Queensland & Victoria To Join NSW In Medicinal Marijuana Trials

Following on from New South Wales‘ lead last year with their approval of medicinal marijuana trials, Victoria and Queensland have announced a mutual agreement – meaning patients suffering from certain terminal conditions in the three Eastern states may be able to participate in the program.

The news, as theamong you will know, fortuitously has dropped on the eve of a certain date—if we momentarily pertain to the US’ calendar style of month-day-year. Awesome handiwork, great job.

The news is a landmark step in the debate surrounding the decriminalisation and legalisation of cannabis, especially for medicinal purposes—with the three largest states in Australia now on board and making progress to shut down stigma related to patients’ use of the drug.

Recently instated Queensland Premier Annastacisa Palaszczuk said today, of the decision in Queensland: 

“Prior to the Coag meeting I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with [NSW] premier Mike Baird and [Victorian] premier Daniel Andrews. I would like to place on the record my thanks to premier Mike Baird for his leadership in relation to this issue,”

Palaszczuk added, “I could not let Queensland sit back and watch. I could not let Queensland just be an observer at the trials.” Clinical trials of medicinal marijuana were announced for NSW in September last year by Premier Mike Baird. 

Cancer patients suffering nausea, those suffering drug-resistant epilepsy, those with chronic pain, those with severe lack of appetite from cancer or HIV and children with life-threatening illnesses will be the focus of the trials. Trials in Western Australia have not been announced; results from the trials in the Eastern states will instead be waited for and used in WA’s medicinal marijuana policy.