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Craig Goodwin took a trip to Canberra last week to meet Senators Derryn Hinch and Pauline Hanson.
Craig, along with approximately 300 people, including the Medical Cannabis Users Association (MCUA) of Australia who supported Craig in his 2015 hearing at Taree Court for medical cannabis related charges, attended a five-hour-long rally out the front of Parliament House.
The group of protesters had previously arranged ahead of time to meet with the two senators regarding legal and access issues relating to medical cannabis.
Use of medical cannabis was made legal in NSW from November 2016, but only for adults who have a terminal illness, and only with strict regulations.
Doctors can prescribe the medical drug, however it can only be in a form which is not produced in NSW and has to be imported from overseas, making it extremely difficult and expensive to source.
Craig says there is a two-year long process to access medical cannabis. “It’s no good for terminal patients, they need it now.”
As a result, many people source medical cannabis on the black market.
Senators Hanson and Hinch were in support of the group’s concerns.
“Derryn Hinch and Pauline Hanson are totally 100 per cent behind access to medical cannabis. They were very sympathetic to our cause. They assured us the government is looking at this,” Craig says.
“Pauline Hanson is trying to have talks with Malcolm Turnbull. She is also trying to get amnesty for producers and get charges exonerated.”
Craig says that there are 12 “compassionate suppliers” in Australia who have all been raided, charged and gone through the courts.
The group managed to also put their concerns to Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment.
“We pretty much hijacked him from another protest!” Craig says.
Another protest will be held in front of the State Parliament House in Sydney on February 21. For more information contact Craig on 0431 430 703.