NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner has described Labor leader Luke Foley's suggestion to abandon clinical trials into medicinal cannabis as "irresponsible", saying police have been given every discretion to allow terminally ill patients to ease their pain.

Mr Foley said on Sunday that NSW needed a more ambitious medicinal cannabis program than the scheme being proposed by the Baird government.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner says it would be "irresponsible" to abandon trials. Credit:Dean Osland

The NSW government is planning a $9 million trial for medicinal cannabis that has the potential to treat children with severe epilepsy, terminally ill adults and those undergoing chemotherapy.

Under new guidelines, police will have the discretion not to charge terminally-ill cannabis users and carers who assist them for breaking drug laws.