LUCY Haslam will take calls up to three times a day from patients and carers trying to get their hands on medicinal cannabis.
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Despite products being legalised nearly two years ago, it’s a “ridiculous situation” on the ground, she said, with sick people around the country waiting up to more than a year to access cannabis legally.
Mrs Haslam said she’s been “paid a large amount of lip service” by decision-makers and has been constantly “fobbed-off” as a lone voice screaming to improve access.
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Now, the Tamworth woman has formed an united front to break down state and federal barriers keeping sick people from accessing medicinal marijuana.
Experts in cancer, pain and palliation, as well as legal and scientific aces will come together in Sydney this week, under the leadership of Mrs Haslam who’s looking to challenge the government to improve access.
Mrs Haslam put the feelers out before Christmas, looking for professional support in her bid to end the plight of terminally-ill patients seeking relief with medical cannabis.
I think the public could be quite angry if they realised how bad it was for the patients now.
- Medicinal cannabis advocate Lucy Haslam
Overwhelmed by the response, Mrs Haslam said the call to arms drew support from a range of doctors and professors from across the country and the Cancer Council.
She said there was no positive for patients with the current legislation.
“The black market is struggling to keep up,” she told The Leader. “It’s such a big process for GPs, they don’t have time for it.
“It’s really a dismal failure in terms of public policy, it’s quite obvious it’s not working.”
“I think the public could be quite angry if they realised how bad it was for the patients now.”
Mrs Haslam’s son, Dan, sparked a national conversation about medicinal cannabis in 2015, using the drug to help with his cancer treatment.