Culture

Victoria Will Be The First State To Legalise Medicinal Marijuana; Stoners Immediately Misinterpret The News

Are you a chronic pain sufferer or a small child with epilepsy? Nope? This news is probs more important than you.

by Meg Watson  6 October 2015

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Leading the way for the rest of the country, the Victorian Labor government has this afternoon approved a plan to start a trial of medicinal marijuana for those suffering from serious medical conditions. Outlined in a report from the Victorian Law Reform Commission which was tabled and largely accepted in Parliament today, this comes with a great deal of fine print including constrictions around patient eligibility and clinical oversight. But, if all goes well, the state will be be growing and distributing its own medicinal cannabis by early 2017.

Here’s how all that sounded to much of the country:

It’s important that you understand this straight off the bat: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews did not rock up to Parliament today in a scuffed-up old hoodie and a flat brim. He didn’t pull the rolled-up report from the back pocket of his long denim shorts like it was his half-completed Year 11 lit essay and throw it across the chamber floor. Though there are valid arguments behind the idea, this was in no way a statement in support of recreational marijuana use — but that definitely shouldn’t dwarf how revolutionary it actually is.

With the drug being proven as both an effective pain management tool and a valid treatment for conditions such as epilepsy, the push to legalise medicinal marijuana has been on for some time. Leaders from all sides of politics have backed the idea, with Tony Abbott even giving it his support, but with pushback from the federal Health department and persisting furrowed brows from many across the nation, most legislation on the issue hasn’t gotten far. Today’s announcement comes about a year after Andrews’ election promise on the matter, and will have spectacular effects for those affected by it.

“I’ve seen first-hand how medicinal cannabis can change people’s lives,” he said in a statement today. “This landmark reform means Victorian families will no longer have to decide between breaking the law and watching their child suffer.”

Though it will eventually be provided to those suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, severe muscle spasms, pain, or nausea, the first trials of the drug will be prioritised for young children suffering from severe epilepsy. These have also been the most high-profile stories over the past few years, responsible for fostering much of the compassion that has led to this moment.

Case in point: here’s a story The Project ran last year about primary school-aged Tara O’Connell whose severe epilepsy was cured by illegally obtained liquid marijuana. She has adorable pigtails and her story immediately won over everyone on the panel.

Though the decision’s now been announced, there’s still much work to do. The state government are working on establishing an Office of Medicinal Cannabis within the Department of Health and Human Services to “oversee the manufacturing, dispensing and clinical aspects of the framework”. And, importantly, they’ll need some degree of support from the federal government. Though it doesn’t need any major legislative change, it will be dependent on certain regulations about narcotics, customs and therapeutic medicines.

However, that shouldn’t stop the celebration. This is huge news for the state which is already exceptionally progressive for its compassion, advocacy and freakish ability to shut down national policing operations. Even better: it comes on the same day the government introduced legislation for same-sex adoption! While same-sex couples can currently foster children and act as legal guardians, the proposed law would allow non-biological parents to be legally recognised and make it illegal for adoption services to discriminate.

Good job, Victoria! Don’t sweat it when The Herald Sun inevitably starts freaking out about stoned gaybies.