The petition asks for GPs or specialists to be able to prescribe medicinal cannabis without needing sign-off from Government. Renton's son, Alex, was given approval to use medicinal cannabis to treat seizures before his death last July. Speaking to a crowd of around 50 people, Renton said medicinal cannabis made "complete sense" for her 19 year-old son because no conventional medicinal was able to stop his chronic seizures. "What my bill asks for is to open the door to give affordable and accessible use for medicinal cannabis for the people who need it." Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei, who was once a candidate for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, said claims that police gave a blind eye to medicinal cannabis users were false.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 12, 2016 00:33 UTC