The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the "Necessity for patients with debilitating and life threatening conditions to Lawfully Access Cannabis for medical purposes. Patients and carers have to choose between breaking the law and risking prosecution under to purchase untested cannabis through the illicit market or left to suffer pain and disability or death".

The Medical Cannabis Advisory Group Queensland has prepared a proposal for the introduction of a ”Cannabis for Medical Purposes Bill” through amendments to the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulations for the regulation of the cannabis market in Queensland, by providing authorisation to qualifying patients/carers to lawfully possess, supply and produce cannabis upon the recommendation of a doctor under a State-wide photo identification register, and provisions for licenced producers, by adopting a system similar to the Tasmanian poppy industry. Both systems provide for strict guidelines to prevent the diversion of cannabis to the illicit market and misuse and abuse of cannabis.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to give interim protection to patients/carers while Queensland Parliament considers the proposal by giving a directive as follows:

“Police Officers are to use discretion when dealing with patients producing a letter from their doctor recommending the use of cannabis for a diagnosed medical condition, and to not arrest or charge them or their carer, or seize the cannabis, if from the facts available, the police officer determines, that the amount of cannabis is consistent with medical use only”.