A decade ago, I initiated this petition to support my son and numerous other patients who could benefit from medicinal cannabis. Your valued support was instrumental in achieving the legalisation of medicinal cannabis for all Australians in 2016, coinciding with the first anniversary of Dan’s death.
Over the ten years, I have closely observed the evolution of the medicinal cannabis landscape in Australia. Despite the legalisation, I have witnessed political manoeuvres that appear to impede rather than facilitate access. There is evident discrimination and bias towards medicinal cannabis patients in various aspects of daily life.
Recommendations for education and public awareness from the 2019 Senate Inquiry have been consistently ignored by government, reflecting a lack of interest from regulators and professional health colleges. Additionally, patients face significant financial burdens as medicinal cannabis remains an unapproved medicine, making it costly. Attempts to secure a compassionate access scheme through the health minister have been declined…so we did this ourselves!
These challenges have created an environment where patients are vulnerable to exploitation by unethical prescribers and profit-driven organisations. A decade later, while the issues have evolved, patients remain at a disadvantage. Therefore, I am reaching out to request your support for a GoFundMe Campaign aimed at producing a documentary. This documentary will present an informed and honest narrative, advocating for enduring changes to ensure that medicinal cannabis in Australia is safe, affordable, and respected. This initiative is crucial for millions of patients currently experiencing relief from suffering through medicinal cannabis.
If you can make a small donation, together we can create the change Australia needs. Here is a trailer showcasing our narrative style. The message is clear and vital to all Australians. While you may not need medicinal cannabis now, it could be important in the future.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to this project, please contact me at lucy.haslam@uic.org.au, where I can arrange receipts for larger donations needing proof of donation for tax purposes via United in Compassion Ltd, the Charity Dan and I began together. We will direct donations to the In Plain Sight documentary.