TASMANIAN Labor and the Greens have accused the state government of falling out of step with the rest of the country as NSW and Victoria move to embrace medicinal cannabis.
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The NSW government has committed to spending up to $9 million to trial the use of the drug on children with severe epilepsy, terminally ill adults and chemotherapy patients.
The trials come after new Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that he intended to introduce legislation to decriminalise medicinal cannabis by the end of next year.
The Tasmanian Government last month rejected a parliamentary committee’s recommendation for the decriminalisation of medicinal cannabis, but Health Minister Michael Ferguson has said he was open to the possibility of a trial.
Shadow Attorney-General Lara Giddings said the state government should be embarrassed at the progress of other states.
‘‘Other states have shown greater urgency and leadership and will now conduct trials, while the Liberals here sit on their hands,’’ she said.
‘‘This is despite the Tasmanian community’s overwhelming support for action in this area.’’
Greens health spokeswoman Cassy O’Connor urged the government to change its policy.
‘‘Minister Ferguson has tried to claim previously that it wouldn’t work for Tasmania to go it alone on medicinal cannabis, but that clearly is no longer a problem,’’ she said.
Government frontbencher Matthew Groom said the government would work co-operatively with other states on the issue.
‘‘The Premier previously advocated in the national context for there to be greater co-operation between states and the Commonwealth,’’ he said.
‘‘This is an important issue, it’s a difficult issue, and I think it’s one in which Australia will benefit from greater co-operation between the states.’’