Cannabis is always in the news and it seems like we’ve been talking about cannabis law reform forever – to the point where the most interesting thing about cannabis is why the law wasn’t changed years ago.
Public support for cannabis law reform is growing, and it seems inevitable that it will happen at some point. It’s no longer a question of should we change the law, what should we change it to and how soon?
In NZ patients continue to suffer. The existing criteria are too restrictive, the process is too slow and Sativex – the one pharmaceutical extract that is approved here – is far too expensive. The result is that most doctors are put off applying and, even if they can get Sativex prescribed, most people cannot afford to pay for it.
Are we are nearing “Peak Cannabis”, the tipping point where significant and sustained law reform is not only possible but inevitable?