Mandie Sami reported this story on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 08:24:00

CHRIS UHLMANN: The New South Wales Premier has raised expectations the state might allow the terminally ill to use cannabis.



Mike Baird says he's 'sympathetic' to the push to legalise marijuana for medicinal use but is concerned about how to regulate and safely supply the drug.



With the exception of the ACT, it's illegal to grow or sell cannabis in Australia.



But politicians are being pressured to relax the laws.



Many families dealing with terminal illness say reform in the area is long overdue and if New South Wales takes the lead the rest of the country will follow.



Mandie Sami has our story.



MANDI SAMI: Twenty-four-year-old Daniel Haslem is dying of cancer.



He's in a deal of pain and sometimes cannabis provides his only relief.



LUCY HASLEM: We were at a desperate point where he was sort of so ill and the cannabis worked wonderfully. So, we set about getting it for him and I guess I resented the fact that I had to be a criminal in the eyes of the law to obtain what was necessary for him.



MANDI SAMI: Lucy Haslem cares for her son and takes little joy in buying the illegal drug.



What difference has using cannabis made to Daniel?



LUCY HASLEM: Huge difference. He battled for four years; it allowed him to have his treatment, he would use the marijuana and it would instantly fix his nausea and vomiting and helped him to keep weight on instead of losing massive amounts of weight every fortnight.



MANDI SAMI: Ms Haslem's launched a petition on website change.org to try and pressure governments in Australia into changing the law.



With around 200,000 signatures so far, it's clear there's plenty of support for her argument.



LUCY HASLEM: That would be the biggest understatement. I have had thousands, thousands of people contact me. Sam's had thousands of people contact him. I just don't think the politicians quite realise the enormity of the situation.



There's a desperate need out there; I think, if New South Wales comes on board, it's just a matter of time before it sort of, spreads through the other states.



MANDI SAMI: Ms Haslem and her son met the New South Wales Premier, Mike Baird this week.



She says he promised his unwavering support:



LUCY HASLEM: Yeah he did. I mean it will be presented as a private member's bill by our local National MP, Kevin Anderson. It's going to be tabled in the Lower House in about three weeks, but obviously very beneficial to have the support of the Premier.



He said that he would want exactly the same thing if it was his wife or his child; he would do the same as what we've done, and he said he wasn't the job to make a career of it; he was there to make a difference and he would support it.



AM contacted the Premier's office to confirm that he was offering his support to decriminalise the medicinal use of cannabis in NSW.



MANDI SAMI: Mr Baird declined to be interviewed, but sent this statement.



MIKE BAIRD (voiceover): During my meeting with Daniel Haslam, I was struck by his determination and courage. I am sympathetic to the views of the Haslam family and others who believe medical marijuana can be of great assistance to those affected by debilitating or life threatening illnesses.



Compassion remains my key focus in this debate, but any solution must address concerns in relation to supply and regulation.



MANDI SAMI: Ms Haslem says she'd be devastated if the Premier backed out of his promise to her.



LUCY HASLEM: I guess I would be incredibly disappointed and confused by the language he used. So if that's the case, then I hope he would contact me pretty soon and clarify it.



MANDI SAMI: In 2003 the NSW Government, led by Bob Carr, proposed a four year clinical trial of medicinal cannabis.



But the trial never happened.



The Australian Medical Association's National President, professor Brian Owler, says the AMA wants a clinical trial to take place before any law reform:



BRIAN OWLER: I mean obviously I have sympathy for her position, but that is not the way that we decide how to regulate medicines in this country; it is not black and white. I mean, while there might be clinical benefits in some cases, there are potential downsides. It has to be administered in the right way and we need to make sure that it is being used for the right purposes and that we are actually getting the benefits.



MANDI SAMI: Recent research suggests a majority of Australians do support legislative change.



In the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than two-thirds of participants supported change that permitted medical use of cannabis, and even more people supported clinical trials investigating the benefits of cannabis use for the treatment of medical conditions.



CHRIS UHLMANN: Mandie Sami.