Vic Cannabis report
The Inquiry into the Use of Cannabis in Victoria final report was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 5 August 2021.
The committee received 1475 written submissions, including a submission from Painaustralia.
Painaustralia’s submission outlined the need for Australians with chronic pain to access the best possible treatment options and care for their pain, as determined with their clinician. This may include medicinal cannabis if a clinician, together with their patient, believes it will provide benefit. Further clinical research is needed to establish an evidence base for the use of medicinal cannabis across the spectrum of pain conditions.
Medicinal Cannabis is produced from an extract of the cannabis plant. Cannabis contains chemicals called cannabinoids, which are shown to relieve symptoms of disease. These cannabinoids act on receptors within our brain and other parts of the body by mimicking naturally occurring cannabinoids (called ‘endocannabinoids’).
Medicinal cannabis is emerging as a possible treatment option for chronic pain and there is substantial anecdotal evidence from patients who have benefitted from this treatment.
As outlined in Painaustralia position statement, Painaustralia supports:
- information that raises awareness and understanding of treatment options;
- education of healthcare professionals on the use of medicinal cannabis and other therapeutics as part of a multidisciplinary approach to the management of chronic pain;
- further research to strengthen the evidence base that supports the use of medicinal cannabis as a pain relief for chronic pain; and
- enhanced access to multidisciplinary pain services with Federal, State and Territory Governments to ensure Australians living with chronic pain can access the care they deserve.
The full report can be viewed here.