Warning, rant. Not sure there will be any interest in this but need to put this down somewhere.
In Australia we have had medical cannabis for a few years. It has become easier to get and most sick people are eligible. This is good and a step in the right direction, however there are major frustrations.
Even though I'm a grower I decided to get medical cannabis. Doing so means I can safely travel with my meds and vapes. I can attend concerts without worry of drug sniffer dogs (yes this is a thing at concerts in Australia). In short, it is peace of mind. Also I can get CBD oil which has been a game changer for me. CBD is prescription only here. In many ways we are a very anal and controlling country. All this is controlled by our Therapeutic Goods Agency (which essentially bans anything remotely fun).
First issue is the cost. Australian cannabis is both grown here and imported (from Canada, Israel, and Jamaica to name a few). As it is a medical product it must be free of mould so nearly all of it is irradiated (no problem for me; all our herbs are too). The cost is at black market level. Mostly for 10 grams I pay anywhere from $135-$180. The product selection is ok, but they are just rebranded illegal products that I am used to. I cannot get a pure sativa which I need due to my ADHD. Pure sativa's aren't economical for producers. Oils are quite expensive too and mostly imported. There are various clinics that charge anywhere from $70- $400 for an initial consult. I paid $200. This is with a doctor who usually knows very little about cannabis (much less than me), and seems to get their info from leafly. There are follow up consultations and many doctors seem to be aligned with favoured producers.
Second issue is drug driving laws. In all states (apart from Tasmania) it is illegal to drive with cannabis in your system. Impairment is not part of the equation. You can be random drug tested (oral swipe) and if you register with THC you will be fined and lose your licence. No one can tell you for sure how long after you vape or smoke, THC can be detected. In some people this is hours, others can register days later. There have been moves to change this with little success. There are a lot of conservative (Christian) politicians in many state parliaments who are just opposed to this. The irony is these tests do not test for opiates, or valium. You can be off your face and still drive.
There are a whole lot of people accessing the scheme who are clearly recreational users. No problems with that really accept that if that's the case then recreational needs to be legalised. The medical system have become the new dealers. To get a grow licence and set up with all the rules would cost around 10 million (according to a podcast I hear). Meanwhile medical patients cannot grow their own. The whole system is slanted toward big business and keeping out the small grower.
In Australia we have had medical cannabis for a few years. It has become easier to get and most sick people are eligible. This is good and a step in the right direction, however there are major frustrations.
Even though I'm a grower I decided to get medical cannabis. Doing so means I can safely travel with my meds and vapes. I can attend concerts without worry of drug sniffer dogs (yes this is a thing at concerts in Australia). In short, it is peace of mind. Also I can get CBD oil which has been a game changer for me. CBD is prescription only here. In many ways we are a very anal and controlling country. All this is controlled by our Therapeutic Goods Agency (which essentially bans anything remotely fun).
First issue is the cost. Australian cannabis is both grown here and imported (from Canada, Israel, and Jamaica to name a few). As it is a medical product it must be free of mould so nearly all of it is irradiated (no problem for me; all our herbs are too). The cost is at black market level. Mostly for 10 grams I pay anywhere from $135-$180. The product selection is ok, but they are just rebranded illegal products that I am used to. I cannot get a pure sativa which I need due to my ADHD. Pure sativa's aren't economical for producers. Oils are quite expensive too and mostly imported. There are various clinics that charge anywhere from $70- $400 for an initial consult. I paid $200. This is with a doctor who usually knows very little about cannabis (much less than me), and seems to get their info from leafly. There are follow up consultations and many doctors seem to be aligned with favoured producers.
Second issue is drug driving laws. In all states (apart from Tasmania) it is illegal to drive with cannabis in your system. Impairment is not part of the equation. You can be random drug tested (oral swipe) and if you register with THC you will be fined and lose your licence. No one can tell you for sure how long after you vape or smoke, THC can be detected. In some people this is hours, others can register days later. There have been moves to change this with little success. There are a lot of conservative (Christian) politicians in many state parliaments who are just opposed to this. The irony is these tests do not test for opiates, or valium. You can be off your face and still drive.
There are a whole lot of people accessing the scheme who are clearly recreational users. No problems with that really accept that if that's the case then recreational needs to be legalised. The medical system have become the new dealers. To get a grow licence and set up with all the rules would cost around 10 million (according to a podcast I hear). Meanwhile medical patients cannot grow their own. The whole system is slanted toward big business and keeping out the small grower.
