News that an Australian man faces jail for growing cannabis for his sick daughters is renewing the push to expand access to medical marijuana. Stephen Taylor, of New South Whales, had initially sought the assistance of doctors qualified to prescribe medical cannabis. But after he was unable to find one, Taylor began cultivating cannabis in his home. Now, he’s looking at a criminal conviction and jail time, just for providing medicine to his daughters.
Poor Access To Medical Cannabis Forces Patients To Break The Law
Although Australia legalized medical cannabis use in 2016, a dearth of physicians licensed to prescribe cannabis has forced many people to seek medicine on the illicit market.
So far, just 519 patients have obtained approval for medical cannabis treatments. Yet many medical professionals say upwards of 100,000 Australians are eligible for medical marijuana.
The large disparity between those eligible and those receiving treatment is due to a couple of factors. For one, bureaucratic red tape makes the process of registering as a physician or caregiver somewhat of a challenge. As a result, patients are having trouble finding doctors who can prescribe cannabis in their area.
Secondly, medical cannabis has yet to penetrate the mainstream consensus among physicians. Many doctors in Australia doubt the efficacy of cannabis and have been reluctant to embrace its medical use.
The fact that clinical trials are ongoing in every state may also contribute to the shortfall of physicians applying for a license.
It’s within this context that an Australian man faces jail for growing cannabis for his sick daughters. Stephen Taylor felt he was forced to cultivate his own cannabis. Taylor’s two daughters, Ariel and Morgan Taylor, both suffer from the debilitating autoimmune