Member for Orange Andrew Gee has said he will support a private member’s bill requesting that dying patients be allowed to use cannabis.  The bill from Nationals Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, is expected to be introduced into NSW Parliament in August. 

Of 365 people who responded to a poll on the Mudgee Guardian & The Weekly website by Sunday morning, 362 (98.6 per cent) supported the proposal.  Three did not. 

The proposal also prompted numerous comments on the Mudgee Guardian website and Facebook page.

The majority of comments agreed that medicinal cannabis should be available on prescription to terminally ill people.

“Anyone who’s ever watched a loved one erode and recede into their diseased selves will question the logic of denying such a person a cheap, effective herb,” wrote Ben Lynch on Facebook.  “Sometimes, despite its best intentions, the law is out of synch with society. This is one of those occasions.”

Some respondents supported the proposal but called for an access to medicinal cannabis to be regulated.

“I am concerned that once (if) it becomes legal, people will want to push that right further and further until everyone’s smoking a joint because they have a slight headache,” Melissa Miller wrote. 

“I can see that there are many benefits for those very sick people, but I can also see the severe and serious long term side effects in people who become addicted. It has to be very strictly regulated, and not handed out like they did with antibiotics.”

Anthony Evans agreed that production should be regulated and medicinal cannabis should only be provided on prescription.

“Severe penalties should still apply to anyone found with any form of cannabis produced illegally or without a prescription,” he said. 

Others argued that legally providing medical cannabis would “stop the drug dealers” getting rich and enable the government to tax cannabis production to fund health services. 

“Look at where it’s happened in America, medical use has been proven, however the system gets rorted,” wrote Peter Glossop. 

“Much better to legalise it, tax it, regulate it. Get rid of the criminal element, add money to hospitals etc to cover the people who end up needing treatment due to use.” 

However, some respondents felt that the poll question and the private member’s bill did not go far enough and that people suffering chronic pain should also be allowed to use medicinal cannabis. 

“Not just the terminally ill, but also those in chronic pain 24/7,” wrote Sue Edwards-Catt.

Only one comment appeared to disagree with the proposal. 

“Facts and education. Not propaganda!” wrote a reader identified only as “Jody”.