In the ultimate quest to extend her life, Sam Aulton was made to feel like a criminal.
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Battling terminal cancer, the Maitland woman turned to cannabis oil to prolong her life and ease her pain.
Essentially, Ms Aulton broke the law.
But with a clinical trial for medical cannabis now imminent, Ms Aulton has praised the power of the people.
“Obviously the politicians have felt the pressure and that’s what needed to happen,” Ms Aulton, 44, said.
The NSW government will establish a clinical trial for the use of cannabis to explore the role the drug plays in providing relief for those suffering a range of debilitating or terminal illnesses.
Premier Mike Baird said the government had formed a Working Group to set up the clinical trial, due to report it findings by the end of 2014.
Earlier this year Ms Aulton joined a campaign calling for the decriminalisation of medical cannabis when poisoned after she took cannabis oil.
“This is terrific news that our government have decided to give this thing a go and it’s obviously a step in the right direction,” she said.
“We should not be made to feel like criminals for trying to help ourselves or those we love. If this drug was decriminalised then I would have been monitored by the professionals and not forced to go down this unprotected path.”
Mr Baird said the Working Group would consider all relevant issues including the scope of the trial, as well as advice from experts regarding the most efficient way to advance the availability of safe and effective cannabis-derived products.
“I hope the trial will bring some clarity to this area and enhance our understanding of the medical use of cannabis,” he said.
Unveiling the plan, Mr Baird also announced NSW Police guidelines would be implemented to formalise the current arrangement that enabled police to exercise their discretion not to charge terminally ill adults who used cannabis to alleviate their symptoms, or their carers.
“We want the terminally ill to have greater peace of mind,” he said.
“We do not want carers having to watch their loved ones suffer when their distress could be alleviated.”
Earlier this year, the Maitland community weighed heavily into the controversial medical cannabis debate, with 97.9 per cent of Mercury readers voting for the drug to be decriminalised for those with a terminal illness.
Of the 280 readers who took part in the Maitland Mercury’s online voting poll, 262 voted yes to the decriminalisation of the drug.
Only 2.2 per cent voted no to the question.
The NSW government is leading the reform of medical cannabis with the Victorian government to consider a bill next week to make it easier to conduct medical cannabis clinical trials.
Mr Baird also thanked National Party Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson for raising the issue and paid tribute to the Haslam family for going public with their fight.
Daniel Haslam, 24, is battling cancer and has been using cannabis to alleviate his symptoms.
Ms Aulton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000.
The cancer returned almost a decade later and has been detected in her spine, lungs and, more recently, has spread to her bones.
A number of international jurisdictions have approved the use of crude cannabis for medical purposes including 23 US states, the Netherlands, Canada and Israel.