Tamworth couple Lou and Lucy Haslam spoke out this week about the benefits of the drug for their son, Dan, who’s fighting bowel cancer, and how hard it’s been, given possession and use of cannabis is a criminal offence.

They have had considerable national media coverage for their cause and since going public have been overwhelmed by thousands of signatures for their petition to state parliament and personal messages of support from around the country.

This family has risked a lot at one of the toughest times of their lives, all because they have seen how much it has helped their son and they want others to have the same opportunity.

Australia’s one-size fits all approach to cannabis use clearly isn’t appropriate, when it’s been proven to give benefits to seriously ill Australians that a raft of other drugs fail to do.

No-one’s calling for marijuana to be decriminalised across the board, just for a bit of commonsense to prevail when medical circumstances demand it.

Nobody should pass judgement on that stance until they’ve been there themselves – or worse, had to watch a loved one endure it.

Thanks to one family’s courage though, it seems the momentum for change is gathering speed.

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FEDERAL MP Barnaby Joyce has called on farmers to use whatever drought assistance is available to them – and reminded the rest of us that just because we’ve had a few inches of rain of late, it doesn’t mean the crisis is over.

The agriculture minister was back in Tamworth this week after a trade mission to the Middle East, urging those on the land to take advantage of the federal government’s $320 million drought package.

It’s a timely reminder for everyone that the drought hasn’t broken and a heck of a lot more rain over the entire region is needed to help get farmers back on their feet.

That said, though, for many it will

take at least a few years to get their properties and finances back on track even with decent falls – one good crop won’t be enough for many, particularly as winter descends.

There’s a danger though that the improvement in the look of the country in many parts will take the focus off the continued need for assistance – and that’s something our farmers can’t afford.