DESPITE being vastly different in political ideology, candidates for the seat of Barker are unanimous in their support of medicinal cannabis.
The four attendees of Wednesday night’s Carers SA forum were quizzed on their support on cannabis in medicine, with Liberal Tony Pasin, Miles Hannemann (The Nationals), Rosa Hillam (Greens) and Bert Bacher (United Australia Party) all favouring its use.
Although South Australians can access medicinal cannabis medicines as a result of federal legislative changes, an attendee said she only one location was prescribing products, with “very few doctors willing to prescribe it”.
Mr Pasin said the government cannot direct doctors to prescribe medication, saying it was a matter for the Australian Medical Association and individual doctors.
“You can currently acquire it from manufacturers from overseas, what we have done have introduced legislation to allow for Australian production,” he said.
“Medicinal cannabis has gone through a process to remove THC entirely so you could abuse that medication and not get any of the psychoactive effects.
“The issue with home-based production and cottage industries that are, as the law stands at the moment, illegal, is that you do not have those strict controls.
“We support it, but we support it via proper processes, prescribed by doctors and importantly with that THC removed.”
Nationals candidate Miles Hannemann said he personally backed the use of medicinal cannabis to treat a range of ailments.
“From what I have read in the press, people are getting great relief from pain,” he said.
“My personal thing is if it works, than why are we not making it?
“They do it overseas, why do not they do it here?”
Mr Bacher also offered his personal support towards the use of medicinal cannabis, saying “it should be utilised and given to the people who need it”.
Ms Hillam said it was the Greens policy to support the widespread use of medicinal cannabis.
