Well known Nelson Green Fairy faces prosecution
Urgent call for new government to step up to help sick New Zealanders
Another well known “Green Fairy” is due to appear in the Nelson District Court today charged with offences relating to
cannabis.
Medicinal cannabis advocate Rose Renton faces charges in the Nelson District Court today of growing medicinal (high CBD)
strains of Cannabis and making (high CBD) products for hospice patients and others with chronic pain.
Rose Renton presented a 17000+ signature to Parliament earlier this year seeking safe affordable medicinal access to
cannabis.
Lawyer Sue Grey said the recent prosecution of at least three Green Fairies by the NZ Police is a tragedy for hundreds
of sick and dying New Zealanders and their caregivers as their medicine has been seized by police. Many are suffering
from life threatening conditions, debilitating pain and/or chronic auto-immune disorders and report considerable relief
from various cannabis products.
Law reform is urgently required said Sue Grey. Cannabis is now widely recognised internationally as being extremely
beneficial for chronic pain and for an array of serious auto-immune disorders. Over 85% of New Zealanders support
medicinal access to cannabis and most of our political leaders have also expressed at least some support. Our last
government sat back while the world moved forwards to facilitate access to cannabinoids to take advantage of their
effectiveness and absence of serious side effects. The snails pace law reform here has been too little and too late with
the result that New Zealand has fallen well behind best international practice. “We have barely missed having a
government during the prolonged coalition talks, however this is one issue where Parliament could make a huge difference
for many peoples lives” said Sue Grey.
New Zealand has huge potential for a clean green hemp and medicinal cannabis industry. We have the environment and
expertise to grow and process safe, affordable and effective medicine. At present, instead of supporting this
opportunity for economic development, government and our police continue to crushing it, prosecuting some of our most
vulnerable and sick citizens and the Good Samaritans who are trying to help them.
Law reforms that came into force last month to facilitate doctors to prescribe CBD products are symbolic, but make no
real difference. Official information released recently by the Ministry of Health shows that so far no CBD products have
been approved. Sue Grey has issue a challenge to our new government to step up and prove it cares about sick New
Zealanders by urgently reforming the law.
ENDS