Sharma GauravDr GAURAV SHARMA (Labour—Hamilton West): I rise today to take a call on the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill (No 2). I want to start by first acknowledging Dr Shane Reti who is my colleague not only in Parliament but also as our previous careers—both being general practitioners. I also want to acknowledge Chris Bishop part of the Health Committee which I am on now as well.Chris Bishop: He's a good member—a very good member!Dr GAURAV SHARMA: Thank you. The bill seeks to establish a medicinal cannabis scheme that already exists. The Government has already established a medicinal cannabis scheme which was the No. 1 bill hence why we're talking about the No. 2 bill. In December 2017 we introduced the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill which first of all sought to introduce a medicinal scheme to enable access to quality products; secondly to introduce a statutory defence for terminally ill people to possess and use illicit cannabis; and thirdly to remove cannabidiol from the schedule of controlled drugs. In December 2018 after careful consideration by the Health Committee we passed this bill including a statutory defence inserted specifically for people eligible to receive palliative care. In July 2019 the Ministry of Health began a four-week public consultation on the proposed regulation and standards for medicinal cannabis. People have had their input into this. In December 2019 the final regulations were released to take effect in April last year. As planned the medicinal cannabis scheme came into force last April with its purpose to improve access to quality medicinal cannabis products for patients.By this time the medicinal cannabis agency had been established to administer the medicinal cannabis scheme. Under this scheme the medicinal cannabis products are only available to patients on prescription from a doctor. Manufacturers and importers are required to provide evidence to the medicinal cannabis agency that they consistently meet minimum requirements standards of quality before they can be supplied.People who want to work in the industry need to hold the medicinal cannabis licence as Dr Liz Craig just talked about or they need to work for a person or company that holds a licence. The licence will specify the types of activities that a licence holder may carry out such as a commercial cultivation of cannabis manufacturing or supply of medicinal cannabis products.The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill (No 2) as proposed by Dr Shane Reti was intended to provide a medicinal cannabis scheme but it already exists. The scheme already exists and went through due diligence after two years of going through a process in this House. The No 2 bill would cement the primary legislation features of the medicinal cannabis scheme that already exists which must remain flexible because we want the experts to keep pace with the emerging industry techniques that are coming out and to respond to these. The Government remains committed to increasing the availability of quality medicinal products and thus making these products more affordable for people.In contrast the National Party however appear stubbornly attached to a bill that would take us backwards rather than helping to ease people's suffering. National is unfortunately behind with this as it is with other bills in the House.Under this scheme medicinal cannabis schemes are only available to patients on prescription from a doctor at the moment. Manufacturers and importers are required to provide evidence of the medicinal cannabis agency that they consistently meet the standards I just talked about.National supported the Government for the bill in the first reading but then pulled out from the bill and proposed its own version of the bill. As a member of the Health Committee this year I want to acknowledge that the bill has already gone through a Health Committee process. It's already gone through a public consultation process.I want to acknowledge the former Minister of Health David Clark who was just here a few minutes ago because he was talking about how 25000 people would benefit from this under palliative care who could be using these medicinal cannabis products under the already existing legislation that went through the House last year. The No. 1 bill by the Government is compassionate legislation that is making a real difference to people living with pain and nearing the end of their lives. People nearing the end of their lives should not have to worry about being arrested or imprisoned in trying to manage their pain at the same time. So in conclusion I would just like to say that the bill already exists; that is the No 1 bill and it went through a comprehensive consultation process before the National Party decided to introduce another bill with the same name just putting a No 2 at the end but not much significant change. Thank you.