❓ Dr. Walker questions the government on opioid deaths and the potential benefits of legalising cannabis as an alternative. The government acknowledges the tragedy of drug overdoses but doesn't directly address the cannabis legalisation aspect or provide specific opioid death statistics.
AnsweredQoN 915Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CANNABIS —
OPIOID-BASED PAIN KILLER ADDICTION
915. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to the research
undertaken as part of a multi-institutional study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Cornel University and
published in the Health Economics journal that suggests that states
in the United States that have legalised recreational cannabis have seen a significant
reduction in pharmacy-based codeine distribution.
(1) In light of
the Penington Institute's Australia's annual overdose report ,
published just last week, that highlighted the large number of preventable
opioid deaths each year here in Australia, will the Cook government concede
that we have a clear problem that needs to be addressed?
(2) If no to (1), how many Western Australians have
died from a misuse of prescription opioids since May 2021 , and will the Cook government acknowledge that the
legalisation of and easier, regulated access to cannabis would be a societal
good when compared with unhealthy addiction to opioid-based pain killers?
OPIOID-BASED PAIN KILLER ADDICTION
915. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to the research
undertaken as part of a multi-institutional study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Cornel University and
published in the Health Economics journal that suggests that states
in the United States that have legalised recreational cannabis have seen a significant
reduction in pharmacy-based codeine distribution.
(1) In light of
the Penington Institute's Australia's annual overdose report ,
published just last week, that highlighted the large number of preventable
opioid deaths each year here in Australia, will the Cook government concede
that we have a clear problem that needs to be addressed?
(2) If no to (1), how many Western Australians have
died from a misuse of prescription opioids since May 2021 , and will the Cook government acknowledge that the
legalisation of and easier, regulated access to cannabis would be a societal
good when compared with unhealthy addiction to opioid-based pain killers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Any death due
to a drug overdose is a tragedy. To reduce further deaths, the Cook government
invested $111.9 million in 2022–23 into alcohol and other drug services
and programs across the state.
(2) Detailed data
on the number of deaths in Western Australia due to the misuse of opioids is
not available.
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Any death due
to a drug overdose is a tragedy. To reduce further deaths, the Cook government
invested $111.9 million in 2022–23 into alcohol and other drug services
and programs across the state.
(2) Detailed data
on the number of deaths in Western Australia due to the misuse of opioids is
not available.
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