NSW Premier may support medical cannabis

NSW Premier Mike Baird has indicated he supports the use of medical cannabis after hearing the story of a terminally ill cancer patient.

Mr Baird flagged his support after meeting with Daniel Haslam, a 24-year-old who in 2010 was told he would only live for a few more months.

Mr Haslam’s mother Lucy, a nurse, and his ex-police officer father have been buying cannabis to help their son deal with the side effects of chemotherapy.

‘The Premier related to our story and told us that if it was his wife or children, he’d want it available for them,’ Lucy Haslam has told News Corp Australia.

‘He said he supported us and I think he sees it as an opportunity for NSW to lead.’

Mr Baird says he’s ‘sympathetic to the view of the Haslam family’ and others in similar situations.

‘Compassion remains my key focus in this debate but any solution must address concerns in relation to supply and regulation,’ he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

Mr Baird, his deputy Andrew Stoner and opposition leader John Robertson have all given provisional backing to medical use of the drug, a policy The Greens also support.

Under a private members bill to be introduced next month by Nationals MP Kevin Anderson, terminally ill people and their carers will be legally able to carry up to 15 grams of cannabis, News Corp says.