Parliamentary question without notice|Medical Cannabis
17/06/2014
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the minister representing the Minister for Health about medical cannabis use in South Australia.
Leave granted.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: On Sunday 15 June, Channel 7’s show Sunday Night aired a piece on the use of medical cannabis. It discussed the case of a young man—a 24-year-old man living in New South Wales—with bowel and liver cancer, who is smoking cannabis to help deal with the severe nausea, vomiting and other terrible, well-known side effects of chemotherapy.
In addition, this young man has been using cannabis oil to try and halt the spread of his cancer, and perhaps have a chance at life. This story is particularly interesting since, while the young man’s father is a former drug squad detective, the family is risking a $220,000 fine and a 10-year gaol sentence for their son’s use of cannabis. In the story, it was noted that South Australia’s health minister—our colleague in the other place, the Hon. Jack Snelling MP—is opposed to the legalisation of cannabis for medical use. My questions are:
1. Is the minister open to at least investigating the use of cannabis for medical reasons where it is shown to improve the symptoms of disability, acute illness and chronic conditions?
2. Will the minister support the parliament investigating the legalisation of medical cannabis in South Australia?
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation): I thank the honourable member for her most important two questions on the medical use of cannabis. In relation to the first question, of course, I will take that on notice to the minister in another place and seek a response on her behalf. In relation to the second question, it is not up to him, nor any of us, in reality. What the parliament decides to do is a matter for the parliament, and it is not up to the Minister for Health to express a view about a decision of the parliament that it will take for itself.
