The following letter has been sent to all MPs, calling on them to support Metiria Turei's Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill, which goes before the house this Wednesday.

Dear Member of Parliament

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party invites you to support Metiria Turei's Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill (http://www.greens.org.nz/node/17102 ), which will have its first reading this Wednesday. The Medicinal Cannabis Bill will make it legal for patients with severe or life threatening illnesses and injuries to access the medicine they need. For many patients, the only medicine that works to relieve their suffering is Cannabis.

The Cannabis extract Sativex is already legally available in New Zealand on prescription from a doctor. However, many people in need cannot afford the $900/month for Sativex, or they prefer to source their medicine elsewhere. Metiria Turei's Bill will allow patients or caregivers who obtain a license to grow their own cannabis. By allowing those patients most in need to grow their own medicine, they will no longer have to risk buying from the black market and will no longer have to fear arrest and imprisonment. Self medication will relieve a large burden from the health system and will free up many million dollars worth of police resources.

The scientific and lay literature regarding the medical effectiveness of cannabis is extensive. Emeritus Professor Lester Grinspoon from Harvard Medical School believes that Cannabis will be the world's most important medical drug in the 21st century. The reason cannabis is such an effective medicine, with thousands of years of use, is because it contains over 60 active therapeutic compounds. The cannabis plant can be bred for different levels of these cannabinoids, and specific strains have been developed to treat specific ailments, such as ADHD, chronic pain and depression. Scientists can also isolate specific compounds in cannabis to create unique new medicines.

At present Sativex is the sole cannabis product on the market. While it is effective for many conditions including MS, others conditions such as chronic pain require an Indica rather than Sativa based preparation. Metiria's Bill will allow for a more diverse range of cannabis products to be made available, to better suit the needs of patients. Concerns about the smoking of cannabis medicine can be addressed by the use of a number of alternative delivery methods, including vapourisation, oral ingestion, ointment or spray. Cannabis has been scientifically demonstrated to be non-toxic, non-addictive and has never caused a death from overdose.

Over 100,000 New Zealanders are in desperate need of this medicine. As an MP you have a unique opportunity to support compassionate use of cannabis. The USA has approved medical marijuana in many states. By voting to follow suit here, you will be the champion of the medical community and help relieve the suffering of many thousands of New Zealanders.

Continuing to criminalise people for using cannabis medicinally is not a satisfactory solution.

Thank you for your time.

ALCP Executive

The following are some of the conditions cannabis is effective at treating:

Appetite Loss, Arthritis, Asthma, Addiction, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Anxiety Disorders, AIDS Wasting Syndrome, Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Aversive Memories, Bipolar Affective Disorder, Brain Injury/Stroke, Cancer (including Breast cancer, Cervical cancer, Lung cancer, Skin cancer), Depression, Dystonia, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Glaucoma, Migraine, Nausea, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Chemo Related Nausea, Chronic Pain, Diabetes, Hepatitis C, High Blood Pressure/Hypertension, Lymphoma, Migraine, Mental Illness, Multiple Sclerosis, Movement Disorders, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Neuroprotection, Nail Patella Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Pancreatitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sickle Cell Disease, Schizophrenia, Skin allergies, Sleep Apnea, Tourette-Syndrome, Ulcerative Depression, Violent uncontrollable outbursts in children.

ENDS

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