Labor promises more than $1 million to get more South Aussies access to medicinal cannabis

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MORE doctors would be trained to prescribe medicinal cannabis as part of a $1 million plan promised by Labor if they are re-elected.

Premier Jay Weatherill has vowed to support medical specialists and improve access for patients by working with clinicians, tertiary institutions, industry, community organisations and SAHMRI to improve education, training and research into medicinal cannabis.

SA medical specialists have been able to legally prescribe the drug to patients since last year. However, there has been a limited number of medical specialists prepared to prescribe the drug due to a lack of local research.

“It is clear that some patients that would like access to medicinal cannabis are not currently able to obtain it,” Mr Weatherill told The Advertiser.

Mr Weatherill’s election promise comes as Adelaide woman, Jenny Hallam, is expected to face the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday to face drug offences over the supply of medicinal cannabis.

The Premier stressed yesterday that Labor believes doctors should be the only ones prescribing medical cannabis.

WeCann founder Ben Fitzsimons, who wants to create a base for a medical cannabis industry worth $800 million a year in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, welcomed Labor’s pledge.

“Having an independent authority being able to verify the positives of medicinal cannabis puts a huge gold star on the industry,” he said.

“This (the local research) would give them confidence and comfort that they are doing the right thing by their patients.”

In April last year, regulations kicked in allowing South Australian medical specialists the ability to prescribe medicinal cannabis to patients for short terms without State Government approval.