Call to legalise cannabis for NT adults

CANNABIS will be legal for all adults in the NT to use — with Territory cafes also permitted to sell joints and brownies to customers, if the NT Government backs this proposal

The proposal means all adults in the NT can buy and use cannabis

CANNABIS will be legal for all adults in the NT to use — with Territory cafes also permitted to sell joints and brownies to customers, if the NT Government backs a proposal from the Medical Cannabis Users Association of NT.

MCUA NT member Renae Haygarth has launched a petition — calling on the Gunner Government to legalise cannabis for both medicinal and recreational adult use.

Ms Haygarth said legalisation would make medicinal cannabis affordable and accessible for all Territorians who needed it, but would not obtain it legally.

“Legalisation just puts it back into the patients hands, there is a human right to medicate ourselves,” she said.

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“Instantly there will be cafes and the shops pop up in the CBD — which will be a boost to the economy. There’s already black market stuff.”

Ms Haygarth said as well as an economic benefit, allowing adults to legally buy and use cannabis would help address some of the NT’s social problems — by providing them with a cheaper, healthier alternative to booze.

Minister for Health Natasha Fyles isn’t keen on the proposal Picture: Keri Megelus

Despite the urge, Health Minister and Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said yesterday there were “no plans to legalise cannabis for recreational use”.

Last month, the NT News revealed no-one in the Territory has been prescribed medicinal cannabis or filled a prescription for the drug in the NT.

According to NT Health Department data, no community pharmacies and hospital pharmacies in the Territory have records of the drug being prescribed.

A spokeswoman said individual patients may have seen interstate specialists or been prescribed medicinal cannabis as part of medical trials, but the NT Health Department had no record of it.

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This Saturday, MCUA NT is hosting an information event at East Point Reserve — to help answer questions about medical cannabis.

For more information, or to sign the petition, search “MCUA Northern Territory” on Facebook.