MCUA PRESS RELEASE 14/5/20: Bill rammed thru parliament to facilitate export of medical cannabis while Aussie patients continue to suffer, unable to afford imported products …

Patients in Australia needing access to medical cannabis have been slapped in the face yet again by this corporate friendly LNP govt who cares nothing about the suffering of our people.

The Export Control Legislation Amendment (Certification of Narcotic Exports) Bill 2020  rushed through parliament last night, will make it easier for licensed producers to export MORE of our home grown cannabis products,  leaving Aussie patients STILL without a reliable, uninterrupted supply of Aussie products. 

The Govt says the legislation has been rushed through with the view to “ reduce red tape (and) bust congestion in regulation” (of the govt’s own making); or closer to the truth, it may have had “something to do with negotiations on other issues in the Senate” as suggested by the ALP.

“What stinks is that Aussie patients are being prosecuted left right and centre for self supply because they cant get access to affordable legal products. Something has got to give,” says Ms Lynch president of MCUA of Australia Inc., who will face court in July for cannabis production charges because she has been unable to get a script and could not afford products even if she could get one – like 48% of other prescribed patients right now.  

Deb Lynch believes it could be because there is a short supply in legal countries such as the US and Canada who’s back end businesses have been on shut down due the covid 19 crisis. “Cannabis has been deemed an essential service in these countries and there has obviously been lobbying by big cannabis business to make this happen because of the slow uptake by doctors and what looks like low demand.”

“Health Minister Hunt promised in 2018 that Aussie patients would come first. He Lied. And this is further proof that the Govt is still trying to keep cannabis away from Aussie patients.”

Aussie patients continue to struggle with supply problems and ridiculous prices for medicine that is being grown and manufactured here in this country, exported and imported back under international brand names.  And now it has been made easier to export Aussie grown products.

Lyn Cleaver, prominent Tasmanian activist who has been growing essential supply of cannabis for her severely disabled son for several years while trying to access legal products, says “Im still getting told to wait it out..keep doing what you are doing for now..easy for some politician to say when its not them breaking the law “

Meanwhile the recommendations made by the recent senate inquiry into the Barriers to patient access to medical in this country lay idle in their inboxes.

For further comment contact Deb Lynch
Medical Cannabis Users Association [MCUA]
0401 979 092