Australian Police Seize Medical Cannabis; Reach New Low

The New South Wales Police have hit a new low by descending in an expensive taxpayer-funded operation with a police helicopter and confiscating a medical cannabis crop intended for patients. The crop was a strain of cannabis bred specifically to be extracted into a medical tincture.


Each of the plants had been labelled for specific patients, according to Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd. "Through the confiscation of this medical cannabis crop, the NSW Police have deprived many Australians of their medicine," Mullaways said. "It is a form of discrimination against sufferers of chronic illness and pain who need this medicine - medical cannabis."


More than 300 chronically ill and dying patients will now be deprived of this indispensable medicine used for the relief of pain and suffering.

Many of the patients have been using Mullaways Medical Cannabis Tincture for years and have letters of support from their doctors to use it. According to Mullaways, it is the only company in Australia providing medical cannabis.


The only other avenue for Australian patients to access medical cannabis is through the Commonwealth Government's Special Access Scheme. This is a long, expensive process, as the product is required to be imported from an overseas medical cannabis company and many patients are unable to afford it as it is unavailable on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).


Tony Bower, managing director of Mullaways Medical Cannabis Pty Ltd, said he has maintained clear accountability and transparency in his business. Both state and federal governments have been fully aware of Mullaways' operations for years.


According to Bower, Mullaways has been open and forthright with all parties, especially the government. Tony complied with all government requirements for the past three years to get his company up and running and to get this medicine to the dying and chronically ill people who need it free of charge.


"My culture does not allow me to refuse help to people who ask for it and where I know I can help, as it is, and surely should be, in any civilized culture," Bower said. "I could not have been any more honest and open about what I am doing.


"I know that I can help and even heal people with my medicine, a medicine that doesn't get people stoned," Bower said. "Almost half of Americans now have access to legal medical cannabis. We need to urgently address the issue here in Australia."


"I have worked tirelessly to try to please people in government, but continue to be treated with disrespect," Bower said. "The patients need their medicine daily. Does the NSW Department of Health have a plan for the dying and chronically ill medical cannabis patients in this part of 'country'?"


16 March, 2012
Steve Elliott
TOKE OF THE TOWN