MULLAWAY TO DEFEND CHARGES AFTER CANNABIS CROP SEIZED BY POLICE
21st March 2012
Tony Bower, Director of Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd, says he has maintained clear accountability and transparency in his business. All relevant State and Federal Government departments have been fully aware of Mullaways operations for years.
Tony Bower said “I am deeply offended that the New South Wales Police Force have brought charges against me under the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act. I intend to vigorously defend the charges. The medical cannabis seized by police, and the tincture does not fall under the scope of New South Wales criminal laws. The police didn't take my plants off the street they took them off sick and dying people.”
“I have worked tirelessly to try to bring my medical cannabis tincture under Commonwealth and International health laws. I have been using a health model to ensure the safe and timely delivery of the tincture to patients however I continue to be blocked and treated with disrespect by the NSW government.”
“It is clear that in the case of Mr Bower road blocks have been thrown up that would not have been there if he had been a multinational pharmaceutical company or the primary seedstock were not related to a recreational drug," Greens MP John Kaye said in an interview on 29 August 2011.
Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd is a registered company under Commonwealth law. Tony Bower was approved as a fit and proper person by the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration to hold a drug manufacturers licence over two years ago.
Mullaways Medical Cannabis Tincture is a therapeutic medicine used for therapeutic purposes by chronically ill and dying patients to relieve pain and suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, arthritis and other serious illnesses. At all times the medical cannabis used to make the tincture has been grown for therapeutic use. Each medical cannabis plant seized by police was labelled for specific patients.
The medical cannabis seized by police was not destined for the illicit street market.
The medical cannabis tincture does not get people stoned.
It is Non-Psychotropic and therefore not open to misuse.
The medical cannabis crop seized by police was a strain of cannabis specifically bred by Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd to be extracted into a medical cannabis tincture. Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd lodged an application to register the strain under IP Australia's Plant Breeders Rights. “My application had gone through to the final approval stage under the Commonwealth but was blocked by the New Sales Wales government” said Tony Bower.
Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd has been open and forthright with all government departments, especially the New South Wales Police. Tony Bower said “I have endeavoured to comply with all government requirements for the past three years to get my company up and running and in the interim continue to get the medicine free of charge to chronically ill and dying people.”
Many patients have been using Mullaways Medical Cannabis Tincture for years. Most patients have letters of support from their doctor. Mullaways is the only company in Australia providing medical cannabis. The only other avenue for patients to access medical cannabis is through the Commonwealth Government's Special Access Scheme. This is a long and expensive process as this cannabis product is required to be imported from an overseas medical cannabis company. Many patients are unable to afford it as it is unavailable on the PBS.
Mr Bower said he would also like to make it clear that “growing a herbal plant for medicine is part of my culture and my culture does not allow me to refuse chronically ill and dying patients access to my medicine. I know that I can help and even heal people with my medicine.”
Almost half of Americans now have access to legal medical cannabis and European Union Companies are funded to develop medical cannabis products.
Does the New South Wales Government have a plan for the chronically ill and dying patients in this state who use medical cannabis as part of their therapeutic regime? We need to urgently address this issue here in Australia.
For more information about Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd please contact Tony Bower.
Regarding the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 to which Australia is a signatory
It is really important to understand that one of the fundamentals of the preamble of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, states:
...recognising that the medical use of narcotic drugs continues to be indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering and that adequate provision must be made to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs for such purposes ...
This has recently been reaffirmed by the
United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Ensuring availability of controlled medications
for the relief of pain and preventing diversion and abuse
Striking the right balance to achieve the optimal public health outcome
At the 53rd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) held in March 2010, the Commission adopted Resolution 53/4 “Promoting adequate availability of internationally controlled licit drugs for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and abuse”.
The Commission recalled the recognition of parties to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol:
“that the medical use of narcotic drugs continued to be indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering and that adequate provision must be made to ensure their availability for such purposes.”
Convention control measures to ensure safety and availability (Page 7)
The objective of the international drug Conventions—balance between ensuring availability and preventing diversion and abuse—is promoted by an international regulatory system that provides the framework for national drug regulation. Pursuant to the international regulatory system, States agree to adopt certain regulatory requirements.
The control provisions of the Conventions are designed to (a) ensure that controlled medications are prescribed for legitimate medical purposes and safely reach patients through a controlled distribution chain and (b) combat illicit manufacture, trade and distribution.
They are designed to serve what the INCB has described as the overall goal of a “well functioning national and international system for managing the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances” namely “to provide relief from pain and suffering by ensuring the safe delivery of the best affordable drugs to those patients who need them and, at the same time, to prevent the diversion of drugs for the purpose of abuse”.
For more information visit the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime at http://www.unodc.org/docs/treatment/Pain/Ensuring_availability_of_controlled_medications_FINAL_15_March_CND_version.pdf
Mullaways Medical Cannabis Survey 2010
All people surveyed provided a letter from their Doctor stating their illness/condition and that the Doctor was monitoring them. Most Doctors recommending cannabis for their patients recommended a non smokeable form of cannabis be used.
Tinctures used in the Survey;
• 1 - THC (30%) & THC A (70%) (Alcohol based at 0.0082 mg THC/100 Microlitres)
• 2 - THC (30%) & THC A (70%) (Alcohol based at 0.0164 mg THC/100 Microlitres)
• 3 - THC (30%) & THC A (70%) (Hemp Seed Oil based at 0.0082 mg THC/100 Microlitres)
• 4 - THC (30%) & THC A (70%) (Hemp Seed Oil based at 0.0164 mg THC/100 Microlitres)
• 5 - THC (Olive Oil based at 0.0266 mg THC/100 Microlitres)
100 micrograms = 0.1 g = 1 Drop = 1 Spray
150 people were surveyed. The illnesses/conditions covered were;
• Chronic Pain
• Cancer
• HIV
• MS
• Glaucoma
• Diabetes
Chronic Pain
Reduction in the use of medications (tramadol)
Clearer thinking due to less medication
Less muscle spasm day and night
Sleep better
Helps the person to relax
Improved mood due to less pain
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
Glaucoma
Relieves eye pressure
Reduction in medication (lyrica, ordine)
Stopped hemerages'
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
Cancer
Relief from nausea
Helps pain medication work better
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
MS
30 to 40% reduction in pain levels
Relief from muscle spasms during the night
Helps with muscles spasms in general
Sleeps better
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
HIV
Sleeps better
Helps the person to relax
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
Diabetes
Stablising affect on Metabolism
No side effects (drowsiness, high)
An overall drop in the use of medications was expected but the continued reporting by participants that they had greatly reduced or given up alcohol, tobacco and other drugs after using the Tincture for a time was not expected but could not be ignored.
Of particular note was the stabilising affect the tincture had in one Diabetes case.
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More info at:
http://www.mullawaysmedicalcannabis.com.au
Wallangu :)...
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