Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Charlies blog raised the issue of drugs and Legalisation...

Charlie’s blog raised the issue of Drugs and legalisation…thought this might add or subtract to the argument.
Middle Child. I sent this to State Gov way back in 2001...nothing has changed since then..

22/1/01

Medical Cannabis Submission Ph 0292284243
Office of Drug Policy
The Cabinet Office
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Dear Sir or Madam,
I would like to have my submission considered on the issue of the Medical use of Cannabis.

My husband has been a C5/C6 Complete Quadriplegic for over nineteen years. He is now fifty. During the last decade he has been subjected to increasing levels of pain, due to a variety of causes, but all connected with his quadriplegia.

Last year (2000) he spent about three and a half months bedridden over the winter months, because of the pain levels he was experiencing. He has severe degeneration of his hips both right and left which cannot be treated with hip replacement in his case. He has bowel and bladder pain, muscle spasms and experiences pain in his forearms, which is so bad, that it takes his breath away at times. There is also so called “phantom” pain, which is all too real to those who experience it. Cannabis is well known to be helpful in most of the above. All of the above is a daily condition, sometimes it eases, sometimes it gets worse, but it is always present.

At present he is using Durogesic patches and another drug Epilim, to control the pain levels enough so that he can sit up in his chair and take part in life. We both know that after a period of time these drugs will have to increase, to ensure continuing effectiveness, or be changed over, to gain new benefits. All of this will be a big problem, as the side effects of all the major painkillers are well known.
We would be in favour of the controlled medicinal use of Cannabis for compassionate medical purposes. For my husband it could help with the pain levels, the muscle spasms and in other areas, and would be a lot less dangerous long term to use than what is now available for him.

One caution we would urge is that only organically grown and processed, non-hybrid cannabis should be used in any medication. The hydroponically grown cannabis is known to cause major problems with those using it, due to the chemicals used in its growing and the pesticides and other poisons added to it. The hybrid cannabis is not as pure as the original cannabis and no one really knows what problems there may be with medicating with hybrid cannabis.

The cannabis that has been used for many centuries as medicine, is proven, is not physically addictive; unlike many of the morphine based painkillers used; and is cheap. It can be grown in Australia, and could be made available on prescription, on PBS for those who need to use it. The dose would be worked out between pain management clinics, the GP and the Chemist thus ensuring the patient had enough for it to be effective, but not so much that they were mentally affected.

There would be no need for any multinational drug companies to be involved, because with full Government backing and control, the source of the Cannabis could be guaranteed clean and organic, and the dosage of non-hybrid cannabis would be consistent.

Thousands of people in Australia endure pain beyond the level of bearing. They do not want to also have their minds affected by increasing dosages of already available painkillers and muscle relaxants, but are faced with misery no one can really comprehend, with out treatment.

It seems that here in Australia, the only thing holding us back from taking this compassionate step, is the fear many have of anything to do with Cannabis. In effect we are punishing terminally ill, chronically ill people and their relatives, because of our fear of the criminal elements involved. This seems to me to be a back the front attitude.

I will say that long-term heavy use of hydroponically grown, hybridised Cannabis is very dangerous, and the toxins used in its production cause much mental illness. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg at present, and there will be an endemic of illness and problems related to its use, as the generations pass.

But if we use this logic, that of punishing the ill and needy, because of those who abuse, we would not let anyone use any pain relieving, or muscle relaxing medication for fear that someone would abuse the substance.

Making Cannabis as described above available for compassionate medicinal use, would be a blessing for these thousands, it is achievable, it is cheap and it is controllable.

As the Doctors are told to “first do no harm”, it would be the least dangerous and invasive treatment for many, and it is sustainable for decades for those with chronic pain.

I hope we don’t have to wait too long for it to be legally available, for some it will be too late.

Yours sincerely,
Therese Mackay.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I completely agree with the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes! I think it's crazy not to allow it. I hope some good comes of your letter, MC!

Middle Child said...

Sorry Gina...look at the date... this was written in 2001.

It all just died ..dead in the water once the scaremongerers got hold of it.

These dats Don uses Physeptone (Methadone tabs to you and me) to control the pain... and other things.

I believe in England some Hospices are able to use pure heroin to east the pain of those with terminal Cancer...this controls pain but keeps the mind alert and aware...here maybe they are scared they'll get addicted... but so they use Morphine which is highly addictive not that it really matters does it. But Morphone at high levels clouds the mind...

Don't know about God or what but it seems that for almost every illness on earth there is a natural antidote or pain killer. Most of these are plants which are freely available to those who understand....maybe it is about the control of Big Pharma and that those plants and medications they can't corner the production on they ensure we are not able to access.

Unknown said...

Gosh, I'm so sorry - both that I missed the date and that nothing came of it. :( I am a firm believer in alternative medicine. I agree that the reason most natural remedies are pooh-poohed, or outright banned, is because the pharmaceutical companies can't patent them and make big bucks off of them. I hate the "give them drugs" mentality. In fact, I'm not much of a fan of doctors in general, unless you absolutely need one as in the case of a surgery, cancer, or a situation like your husband's. Even then, I'm suspect. I am not one to go the doctor except for a checkup now and then. Fortunately, I'm healthy and, with the exception of an appendectomy at age 11 and a c-section birth at age 31, have had no real cause to see a doctor ever. My grandmother lived to 96 without ever going to a doctor. When she finally had to, after falling in her yard and breaking her hip at age 95, she went downhill quickly, finally dying in one of the warehouses they call nursing homes, with no idea where she was, who we were, or what was going on. It broke my heart, and I attribute her decline entirely to the "miracle of modern medicine" that kept her warehoused while she "healed". I wish I'd lived near enough to her to have her in my home. I'm sure she'd still be with us today, as alert and vibrant as she was the day she fell. Arrrgghhhh...sorry to go on so... I just get so frustrated with the whole "drug 'em up" mentality. Get people eating well, using natural methods for healing and pain control, and exercising and we'll have much lower health care costs.