Thorough investigation essential Crops risk entering the black market A TASMANIAN mother has told a parliamentary inquiry medical cannabis proved a miracle cure in improving her young daughter's health. Nicole Cowles' advocacy of the treatment was echoed by a cannabis oil producer, but psychiatrists are urging caution before proceeding with a medicinal cannabis trial. Ms Cowles said after trialling between 10 and 15 drugs to combat her daughter's rare genetic disorder, it was a cannabinoid tincture which effectively controlled 9-year-old Alice's debilitating seizures. ''Possibly the hardest thing in fighting for medical cannabis to be legalised is that I want to be able to tell people that this is a miracle - it's amazing,'' Ms Cowles told the inquiry. ''But you can't use words like that when you're trying to put forward an argument for something that has real medical benefits because it sounds like you're selling snake oil,'' she said. Ms Cowles spoke of her frustration that Alice's respite carers could not administer the drug because of its illegal status. Ms Cowles said Tasmania could lead the way with research focused on producing medically regulated and legally graded medical cannabis. Deregistered doctor and cannabis oil producer Andrew Katelaris said there were legions of suffering children who could benefit from medical cannabis. Mr Katelaris likened denying the treatment to children suffering seizures to ''kicking these kids in the head each day''. ''It is a crime against humanity what we've done in eliminating, or at least retarding, the therapeutic applications of cannabis,'' he said. But Eric Ratcliff, from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said a medicinal cannabis trial must be based on proper scientific evaluation and not anecdote alone. ''It must be a proper trial ... not one based on a few stories that tug at the heart strings,'' Dr Ratcliff said. ''There is a concern that (the inquiry's) deliberations and the publicity surrounding them is assisting the idea that this is a safe, versatile drug without dangers ... this is not the case.'' Dr Ratcliff said illegal cannabis crops laden with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) posed real dangers of inducing psychosis and schizophrenia. He said lawful crops must be far less potent to minimise the chances of adverse affects.
A TASMANIAN mother has told a parliamentary inquiry medical cannabis proved a miracle cure in improving her young daughter's health.
Nicole Cowles' advocacy of the treatment was echoed by a cannabis oil producer, but psychiatrists are urging caution before proceeding with a medicinal cannabis trial.
Ms Cowles said after trialling between 10 and 15 drugs to combat her daughter's rare genetic disorder, it was a cannabinoid tincture which effectively controlled 9-year-old Alice's debilitating seizures.
''Possibly the hardest thing in fighting for medical cannabis to be legalised is that I want to be able to tell people that this is a miracle - it's amazing,'' Ms Cowles told the inquiry.
''But you can't use words like that when you're trying to put forward an argument for something that has real medical benefits because it sounds like you're selling snake oil,'' she said.
Ms Cowles spoke of her frustration that Alice's respite carers could not administer the drug because of its illegal status.
Ms Cowles said Tasmania could lead the way with research focused on producing medically regulated and legally graded medical cannabis.
Deregistered doctor and cannabis oil producer Andrew Katelaris said there were legions of suffering children who could benefit from medical cannabis.
Mr Katelaris likened denying the treatment to children suffering seizures to ''kicking these kids in the head each day''.
''It is a crime against humanity what we've done in eliminating, or at least retarding, the therapeutic applications of cannabis,'' he said.
But Eric Ratcliff, from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said a medicinal cannabis trial must be based on proper scientific evaluation and not anecdote alone.
''It must be a proper trial ... not one based on a few stories that tug at the heart strings,'' Dr Ratcliff said.
''There is a concern that (the inquiry's) deliberations and the publicity surrounding them is assisting the idea that this is a safe, versatile drug without dangers ... this is not the case.''
Dr Ratcliff said illegal cannabis crops laden with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) posed real dangers of inducing psychosis and schizophrenia.
He said lawful crops must be far less potent to minimise the chances of adverse affects.
