Dr. Walker questions the Minister for Health regarding monitoring of cannabis research, specifically a study on terpenes as painkillers, and the delay in establishing a medicinal cannabis advisory body. The Minister responds that a feasibility study for an advisory service is underway and medicinal cannabis is already accessible via prescription.

AnsweredQoN 694Legislative Council
Asked
12 June 2024
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

MEDICAL CANNABIS — RESEARCH
694. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to a recent
groundbreaking study from medical scientists at the University of Arizona,
which concludes that terpenes found in the cannabis plant rival morphine as a painkiller
for those suffering chronic pain, while having fewer adverse side effects.
(1) Is this
research being monitored by the Department of Health?
(2) If no to (1),
why not?
(3) Since a medicinal
cannabis advisory body might rightly bring this sort of scientific evidence to
the minister's attention in a timely manner, why are we still lacking
such a body here in Western Australia, 12 months after the government agreed in
principle to establish one?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Health.
(1)–(3) The
Western Australian government supported in principle the recommendations of the
report of the Select Committee into Cannabis
and Hemp to conduct a feasibility study on a cannabis advisory service. The
Department of Health is undertaking this work. Medicinal cannabis is already
accessible in Western Australia as a prescription medicine.

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