1. adelaidenow.com.au: Cannabis decision is just dopey, advocates say
Nov. 29th, 2017
USERS of medicinal cannabis will not be allowed to drive with the drug in their system under new laws which have passed State Parliament in South Australia.
MPs have been debating laws proposed by the State Government to strengthen drug driving penalties but were divided on whether to allow people using medical marijuana to get behind the wheel.
Dignity MP Kelly Vincent had proposed allowing users to seek a doctor’s approval to drive, and use that to defend any drug-driving charges if they were tested by police and brought before a court.
She was initially supported by Opposition and crossbench MPs, but the Opposition changed its stance this week.
Following negotiations it agreed to support the Government position that any motorist who tested positive to THC – the active ingredient in cannabis – would be penalised.
The outcome has enraged advocates of medical marijuana.
Cannabis oil producer Jenny Hallam argued it was possible to use the drug for medical purposes without feeling any psychoactive effects.
“Just because it’s in your system doesn’t mean it’s actually affecting you,” she said.
“If you’re using it responsibly, at a low dose, it does not affect you.”
Ms Hallam stressed that roadside drug tests registered the presence of a drug but not the level of impairment it caused.
She also argued that using pharmaceuticals, particularly opiates, while driving could be as, or more, dangerous than medical cannabis.
People who are found to have THC in their system are currently given a written direction not to drive for five hours.
In return for Liberal support of a harsher stance on medical marijuana, the Government dropped a push to enable police to search the vehicles of drivers who tested positive for drugs.
People who are found to have THC in their system are currently given a written direction not to drive for five hours.
Figures presented to Parliament show that between 2012 and 2016 there were 4,474 people who tested positive for THC while driving on South Australian roads.
Thousands more tested positive to THC in combination with another drug, such as ecstasy or ice.
Clifton Flack from CIITECH, a UK-Israel cannabis biotech startup, spoke to reporters about the funding they are putting forward to further the all-important research.
Speaking to reporters, Flack said, “Israel is the epicenter of R&D on cannabis and most of the work has happened in the Hebrew University. Asthma is close to my heart as I suffer from the condition.”
Initially, the study will look to see whether CBD, a compound in cannabis, has an inhibitory effect on allergic airway inflammations that cause asthma.
The good news is, that CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning that it doesn’t make the patient feel high or spaced out, but can help to alleviate a variety of medical conditions and issues.
In speaking about the exciting new research study, Prof. Mechoulam said, “We know that CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and we’re looking forward to investigating whether this will be effective in treating asthma and related respiratory conditions.”
Mechoulam’s Colleague for the study, Prof. Francesca Levi-Schaffer, is also very excited about the prospect of this forthcoming study. Her lab focuses on discovering new ways to treat allergies.
Reporters also caught up with Prof. Levi-Schaffer, “Most of the symptoms of allergic disease patients are controlled by either symptomatic drugs or corticosteroids. However, some patients are steroid-resistant and allergic diseases such as severe asthma have been labeled as unmet clinical needs.” She added, “We believe our research will provide a novel and effective solution to treating this condition.”
The new study is being met with much anticipation, as previously researchers at the Hebrew University have proved that CBD can work effectively in some cases to treat epilepsy, schizophrenia and pain, among other ailments.
For the time being, Flack is also excited about the study, “We hope to have preliminary results of the research in some six months.” noting that, “Cannabis could well become this century’s wonder drug,” concluding, “Many of the plant’s therapeutic benefits and compounds are yet to be explored and we’re excited to take part in expanding and galvanizing this new field of therapy.”
This study highlights that the UK and Israel are at the forefront of cannabinoid science as it relates to a treatment for Asthma.
Respiratory conditions such as COPD and Asthma are conditions that relate to inflammation.
It’s a condition that affects over 5 million people in Britain, and therefore there is a vital need for studies that can lead to awareness of the potential for therapeutic cannabis as a treatment for sufferers.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel together with CIITECH are positioning themselves to be at the forefront of this health sector.
It’s been almost two years since Australia legalized medical cannabis, but for many patients, access to critical, cannabis-based medicine is still impossible. Restrictive licensing and scheduling schemes, confusing overlap of state and federal regulations, and a lack of training within the medical community have combined to keep the system stagnating.
One of the most important pieces of the puzzle, however, may be finally falling into place: distribution. This month, two Australian companies announced deals to distribute cannabis-based medicines in the country.
Melbourne-based HL Pharma announced last week that it will commence sales of Satipharm medical cannabis products to Australian patients with appropriate prescriptions.
Satipharm, a Swiss pharmaceuticals manufacturer owned by Harvest One, will distribute medical cannabis in the form of Gelpell CBD capsules.
The capsules use proprietary dose delivery technology which, according to Harvest One, has favourable bioavailability in comparison to the spray delivery method of competitor Sativex.
“The combination of controlled production of the raw materials, GMP processing into a pharmaceutical grade product and clinical testing proving safety and efficacy has made it possible to bring this unique product after years of R&D to Australian patients,” Andreas Gedeon, CEO of Harvest One, said in a statement.
Satipharm’s product has completed Phase I clinical trials and will be tested for efficacy in treating refractory epilepsy in children and spasticity symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients. The results of the Phase I trials were recently published in Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development.
The Hydroponics Company (THC) announced that it, too, would be importing European cannabis medicines after signing a distribution deal with Endoca BV. Initial products imported to Australia under the deal will include CBD oil, capsules, and a product including CBD and CBDA oil.
CEO David Radford described the deal as an “important milestone for THC.” The company’s stock price recently leapt after an announcement that it had secured a license for subsidiary Canndeo to cultivate and produce medical cannabis.
“Canndeo’s strategy to bring the world’s best medicinal cannabis products and knowledge while building Australian production and supply capability has reached an important milestone,” Radford said in a statement. “Canndeo is very pleased that Australian doctors and patients will soon be able to access these very high quality products.”