We must address serious concerns about the vulnerable state medicinal cannabis users in Tasmania find themselves in during the current COVID-19 health crisis.

There are approximately a dozen patients who have been successful in securing a legal prescription for medicinal cannabis. That number is dwarfed by patients procuring cannabis via either black market or self supply.

On behalf of those patients, many of them using cannabis medicine as mono-therapy, we respectfully ask that you consider some protections be put in place as a temporary measure.

Such protections would benefit Tasmanians relying on cannabis to be well.

In the current climate an immediate moratorium on arrests and confiscation of discovered cannabis for identified medicinal users is paramount.

Currently Tasmania Police have discretion if charges should be laid concerning people using/possessing cannabis. They do not have any such discretion when it comes to cannabis (plant or medicine) that is discovered and they must by law seize.

For Tasmanians using cannabis accessing the alternative market requires them to be out in the community unnecessarily during this health crisis. For those of us who self supply (harvest of our own medicine is currently underway) we are at risk of our medicine being discovered and confiscated.

There is nothing in place to protect these unwell Tasmanians. I am sure during these uncertain times our Government would not wish for medicine to be taken from the seriously ill.

A register for patients legitimately using and/or self supplying cannabis for medicinal purposes – to protect them from possession charges and protection from confiscation as a temporary measure would ease the burden and fear that these Tasmanians face during this crisis.