A medicinal cannabis bill proposed by the New Zealand Government could quite possibly be widened, if the New Zealand Drug Foundation request is accepted.

The Health Select Committee is currently reviewing the bill, after Drug Foundation head Ross Bell asked for an expansion of bill provisions.

What does the New Zealand medicinal cannabis bill entail?

At the current time, the Government bill offers a legal defense for any cannabis consumer with 12 months or less to live.

Cannabis use would remain illegal under the bill, but nonprosecutable.

Also included in the bill is the formation of an advisory committee for the purpose of prescribing cannabis products in future.

Despite the fact Bell is backing the principles of the medicinal cannabis bill, he stresses that it could be pushed further.

In his argument, Bell says how the legal defense should also cover individuals who suffer from “severe and debilitating” conditions.

“Only focusing on terminal patients isn’t good enough. In reality terminal patients aren’t getting arrested by Police but many other patients are,” claims Bell.

Discretionary policies have been put in place by the police in regards to who they arrest. Nevertheless, this power was not imposed without care or judgment, according to Bell and others who requested an expansion of the bill.

Should doctors decide who is awarded treatment?

Green Party MP, Chloe Swarbrick, had her own medicinal cannabis bill overthrown at its initial reading.

The young politician and entrepreneur maintains that “no rule of law” was put into place in terms of deciding who would be awarded discretionary treatment. Swarbrick believes it is the duty of doctors, rather than police.

“We currently have a situation where police on the front lines are being quite open about the fact that they are de facto decriminalizing the use of cannabis for medicinal reasons or recreational reasons,” said Swarbrick.

“There is no rule of law. So who is being prosecuted there? Because I can almost guarantee you that it is not certain classes or demographics of people,” she went on to say.

Swarbrick’s argument is being supported by many, including author at Medical Cannabis Awareness New Zealand, Shane Le Brun.

“The only people I know of that are discharged without conviction for medical purposes are old white women,” said Le Brun.

Pharmacists are not as supportive of the New Zealand medicinal cannabis bill

Quality and safety are two major concerns of pharmacists, such as Graeme Smith.

Smith works for the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand and when asked his opinion on the bill, he voiced his concern.

“We’re concerned that is this bill passes there will be pressure for treatment to creep into other areas,” said Smith.

His reasons for concern encompass the safety of procuring black market cannabis, which he doubts to be up to medical standards. However, he does believe that the medicinal cannabis bill would make the system less biased and prejudiced.

The medicinal cannabis bill has been passed with undivided support for its initial reading.