The heat is being turned up on the South Australian and Federal governments after a supplier of cannabis oil in Adelaide was raided last week; triggering outrage around the country.
As we mentioned, Jenny Hallam has been reported for drug offences and various items have been removed from her premises in Hillier in Adelaide’s north. Ms. Hallam had been supplying cannabis medicines at no cost to a number of people across Australia.
Among those benefiting from Ms. Hallam’s kindness and dedication was Ben Oakley (pictured), who suffers from a rare and excruciating condition called Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS). As a result of the raid, Mr. Oakley has been left with a limited supply of cannabis oil to manage his condition.
While Mr. Oakley is eligible to participate in a New South Wales medical marijuana trial, it will be at least 6 months before he is officially part of it.
“That is simply not good enough for a person who is in the sort of pain Ben is when this condition takes hold,” says part of a letter from Keira MP Ryan Park and Wollongong MP Paul Scully to Australia’s Minister for Medical Research Pru Goward.
Mr. Park and Mr. Scully are asking for Ms. Goward to fast-track the process.
Ben’s father is livid.
“Actions by governments in Australia have placed my son’s life in danger, along with many other desperate people around Australia. Why? Because they have moved so damn slowly in the changing of the laws around the use of Medicinal Cannabis,” he said in a Facebook post.
“How many deaths will be on your hands before you open your eyes?”
An eight year old in Queensland has also been left with limited supply – and it may cost the girl her life.
Suli Peek has an undetermined regressive neurological disorder with refractory epilepsy and used to experience more than 100 seizures a day. The condition cannot be effectively treated with conventional medicines.
“We put Suli on cannabis oil because there were no options left,” said her father, Steve Peek.
“It saved her life.”
Buderim MP Steve Dickson has called on Queensland’s Premier and Australia’s Prime Minister to grant amnesty to families in situations such as Suli’s.
The cannabis oil Ms. Hallam was producing is high in non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD), but very low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
