FARMERS in the state’s South East have joined the push to allow medicinal cannabis use in SA, saying they are “ready, willing and able” to grow crops.
The Greens are introducing a motion to Parliament calling on the State Government to get medical cannabis in SA “from the farm to the pharmacy to the patient”.
Long-time campaigner Greens MLC Tammy Franks said leaders in other states, including Victoria and New South Wales, were “forging ahead” and South Australia needed to be more involved in the national debate about making medical cannabis legally available.
“Victoria’s begun growing — (Premier) Daniel Andrews’s crop is about a foot high now, South Australia’s is non-existent,” Ms Franks said.
“There is definitely an appetite for growing the crop in South Australia.
“(Farmers) want this opportunity to get jobs into the regions. There’s a financial benefit and of course a health benefit to be had here.”
“The economic benefits for the state would be substantial ... Rather than bus loads of people going over the border,” he said.
“There’s probably a lot of misconception out there. People talk about marijuana and they think of sitting around, smoking bongs, smacking a tambourine and saying ‘Yeah man’ but it’s not like that at all.
“It’s a serious health benefit. It’s a no brainer really.
“Of course, we’ve got to do it legally so we’ve sort of got our hands tied at the moment.”
A State Government spokesman said it was “working with the Commonwealth as it develops a new licensing scheme that will enable cannabis to be cultivated and produced for manufacture into pharmaceuticals”.
“We will continue to work with the Commonwealth and the other states and territories to develop a nationally agreed approach to access to medicinal cannabis products for patients,” he said.
Teenager Tabetha Fulton suffers a rare, degenerative lung disease but has experienced significant improvement by taking medical cannabis.
However, to legally access the drug their family had to move to Canada for about 10 months.
“We’ve come back here and of course she can’t have it.
“The amount of medication she was on before and the hospital says were horrendous.
“She hasn’t been in a hospital for her lungs since taking cannabis.
“Times that by how many kids are out there stuck in hospital on steroids when they just shouldn’t be.”
Mrs Fulton urged the State Government to get involved in the national debate to make cannabis available.
In February, the Federal Government introduced draft laws to Parliament allowing the cultivation and supply of marijuana for medicinal or scientific purposes.
A Roy Morgan survey of 644 Australians in October last year found 91 per cent — and 89 per cent of South Australians — believed medicinal use of marijuana should be legal.
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