Terminally-ill people in New South Wales will soon be able to use cannabis for medical use without the fear of being charged.
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird says he was moved by the plight of Tamworth cancer patient Daniel Haslem who’s been using the drug illegally to relieve his suffering. 24-year-old Mr Haslem has been living bowel cancer since 2010 and has been told he has just months to live.
Mr Baird says police will be allowed to exercise discretion not to charge terminally-ill adults who use cannabis, formalising what they are already doing.
New South Wales Opposition Leader John Robertson says he’d support a bill to legalise medical use of marijuana.
“People in this situation should not suffer the further humiliation of being dragged through our courts and treated as criminals,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Labor’s position would see the law change to provide this small group of people with the protections they need.”
