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  • Qld urges haste with cannabis trials

    Author: AAP

Queensland's Labor government is pressuring health authorities to speed up clinical trials of medical marijuana.

With trials yet to begin despite the NSW government legislating for them in December, Queensland Police Minister Jo-Ann Miller has called on the Therapeutic Goods Administration "to hasten the process".

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Ms Miller on Wednesday expressed support for medical marijuana at a drug and alcohol conference as lobby groups stress it can help children with severe epilepsy, chemotherapy patients and those with terminal illnesses.

While supportive of the NSW trials, Ms Miller said Queensland would wait to see the results from NSW as the trials are held with the assistance of the federal government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

"We believe that medical marijuana does have an opportunity for clinical expertise, particularly in relation to cancer," Ms Miller said.

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"However, we are waiting for those clinical trials in NSW to be undertaken and we'd also encourage the TGA to hasten the process.

"We understand that it is a slow process, however we would like them to get moving on it, because I think that the community is waiting for that national response."

A spokeswoman for the TGA said the clinical trials were not regulated by them.

"The TGA's role is limited to allowing supply of the trial product," she said.

The slow progress will provide little comfort to the parents of terminally-ill children, including those from a lobby group who last year accused Labor and the LNP of taking a back seat on the issue.

Sharing that frustration is a Cairns father whose case this week returned to court after he allegedly used cannabis oil to treat his cancer-stricken toddler.

The 30-year-old was charged with supplying dangerous drugs to a minor.

The child is being treated for neuroblastoma cancer.

His arrest in January outside Brisbane's Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, where his daughter was receiving chemotherapy, sparked outrage among medical cannabis advocates.

The man was originally prohibited from making contact with his ill child, but his bail conditions were later altered to allow supervised visits.

The case returns to the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.

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