Please help me keep up the fight in Dan's memory by reading and responding to the following message about the Federal Medicinal Cannabis Bill which will be considered in the Senate in the next couple of months. Subject: An update regarding medicinal cannabis - Warren Entsch MP Good afternoon, As we look ahead to 2015, I’d like to update you on the campaign to make medicinal cannabis more available and affordable for people with terminal and chronic conditions. I’m very pleased with what has been achieved since this issue came to the forefront in June 2014, when members of the Cross Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy and Law Reform met with key medical professionals and families of affected patients in Canberra. You would be aware that in November we announced the introduction of a Private Member’s Bill titled the Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2014. The proposed regulator will reflect world’s best practice in providing a framework for the production and distribution of medicinal cannabis. Drawing on models from Canada, Holland and Israel, the framework would be similar to that which allows the growing of poppies in Tasmania for widely-used medicines such as morphine, pethidine and oxycodone. The need for this Bill came about through recognition that people suffering severe medical conditions are already getting benefits from using cannabis but are unable to access it in a legal, safe, reliable and affordable way. The Bill allows Australia to establish an industry with full control over the growing of the plant by licensed consortiums, secure processing into various forms, and dispensing of the product under the authority of a doctor – with no interaction with the illicit drug market. Now that Senators Richard Di Natale (Greens), Ian Macdonald (Liberal), Anne Urquhart (Labor) and David Leyonhjelm (DLP) have introduced the Bill into the Senate, it will be debated in early 2015. It will then go to a vote in the Senate, and if successful it will automatically come to the House of Representatives for consideration. In the House of Representatives, I will co-sponsor the Bill on behalf of the Liberal Party with George Christensen MP (National Party), Melissa Parke MP (Labor) and Adam Bandt MP (Australian Greens). While we are waiting for the Bill to be debated in the Senate, it is vital that we keep raising public awareness. It is only through creating a groundswell of support that MPs and Senators will know that they have the backing of their constituents to vote for this important change. If you do not live within my electorate of Leichhardt, I strongly urge you to write to your local Federal MP, in addition to Senators within your state/territory. Tell them why you, as an Australian, believe medicinal cannabis should be able to be accessed safely and legally, and ask them to support the Bill when it comes to a vote. Lastly, I would like to commend Senator Richard Di Natale in particular for his outstanding work and research on the Bill, together with all the members of the Cross Parliamentary Party. I feel a great deal of pride to be a part of this campaign, as it gives Australia the opportunity to offer hope to so many sufferers of chronic pain and other conditions, where medicinal cannabis has proven to be the only remedy that gives them the relief they need. Thank you again for your interest in this issue and I look forward to keeping you updated in the coming months. Best Regards, Warren The Hon. Warren Entsch MP Federal Member for Leichhardt & Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia Canberra Office phone: (02) 6277 4803 fax: (02) 6277 2238 Electorate Office phone: (07) 4051 2220 fax: (07) 4031 1592 email: warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au web: www.warrenentsch.com.au Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.