PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk will today announce Queensland’s first medicinal cannabis trial, saying she has been particularly moved by stories of children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland would join forces with the NSW Government – which last year announced scientific trials for patients with intractable epilepsy, chemotherapy-­related nausea and end-of-life pain where standard treatments were ineffective.

She spoke to NSW Premier Mike Baird about the trials during Friday’s Council of Australian Government meeting in Canberra.

“I didn’t want Queensland standing on the sidelines,” Ms Palaszczuk said yesterday.

“I wanted us to be an active participant because I know many Queensland families see real value in this form of treatment.”

Ms Palaszczuk said details of the Queensland trial would be worked out during discussions with NSW experts.

“This trial is about letting the experts do as much research as possible into this issue so that we can all get a clearer understanding of any clinical benefits medicinal cannabis can provide,” she said.

“I’m especially interested in any benefits this form of treatment can have on kids with severe epilepsy.”

The Premier said she spoke with the mother of a boy with uncontrollable epilepsy before flying to the COAG meeting.

“All she wants is a government that’s willing to step up and investigate this form of treatment,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“My Government will make that commitment.”

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Mr Baird has committed up to $9 million over five years for the NSW trials, with enrolment expected to start next year. Ms Palaszczuk is yet to indicate how much Queensland will contribute.

An expert panel chaired by NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant will oversee the trials.

Details about where the me­dicinal cannabis for the trials will be sourced are still be­ing worked out.

Use of me­dicinal cannabis is decriminalised in 23 US states, Canada, ­Israel, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Spain.

Epilepsy Queensland ­yesterday applauded the Government’s decision to conduct a trial, describing it as a “significant step”.

“The news of the willingness of our government to be open-minded and par­ticipate in medical trials will be very welcome indeed, particularly so for people ­living with refractory epilepsy,” Epilepsy Queensland chief executive Helen Whitehead said.

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“Families who deal with relentless seizures that are not assisted by existing medications, surgery and other treatments will see this as a major step in the future care of their child’s epilepsy.

“These families have desperately sought support for medical marijuana in the hope that it could be a possible treatment option for their child, administered with medical support and without fear of persecution.”

The trials come as desperate families defy the law to give their children medicinal cannabis oil, hoping it will control their seizures. Some have gone public, saying their children have become seizure free.

Doctors warn the drug will not help every patient with refractory epilepsy and much more research is needed to pinpoint the components in cannabis that may work for some children.

media_camera Charlotte Miot, 7, has the rare Doose syndrome which causes seizures. Her parents have contemplated becoming health refugees and moving to NSW to allow her to try medical cannabis as a treatment option. Pic: Jamie Hanson

Last chance is heading south

CHARLOTTE Miot’s parents have considered giving up their jobs and moving to NSW so she can be treated with medicinal cannabis without the threat of police or child-safety officers knocking at their door.

Seven-year-old Charlotte has been in and out of hospital most of her life with seizures caused by the rare disorder Doose Syndrome.

Although she takes five epilepsy drugs, they have failed to control her seizures.

She has been admitted to the Lady ­Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane twice during the school holidays alone.

“We have started looking at real estate and schools in NSW,” Charlotte’s mother Rebecca said.

“We’d like to try medicinal cannabis oil under medical supervision. It may not work but we’d like to at least try it. It would be another option. Without it, we’ve run out of options.”

The Miots were heartened by NSW Premier Mike Baird’s move to change police guidelines to allow officers to ­decline to prosecute patients using cannabis products for medical purposes. They were waiting to see the Palaszczuk Government’s response to a petition, lodged in the Queensland Parliament last month, calling for similar protections here.

“We would prefer to stay in Queensland,” Ms Miot said.

“We don’t want to have to pack up our lives and start again somewhere else.”

media_camera Medical marijuana is harvested in Florida in the US.

She and her husband Mark have welcomed Ms Palaszczuk’s move to include Queensland in medicinal cannabis trials.

“I’m impressed that something is actually happening in Queensland,” Ms Miot said.

“We’ve got to do something for these kids. If it’s not Charlotte, it may help the next lot of kids that come through.”

The Brisbane nurse said the medical cannabis issue was misunderstood by many in the community.

She said products given to children with drug-resistant epilepsy were ingested as an oil, not smoked.

“I’ve even had other nurses ask me: ‘Do you believe if she smokes pot, she’ll be better?’,” Ms Miot said.

“I’ve told them it’s nothing like that. It’s very different.”

She said when she asked one of Charlotte’s doctors his opinion about medical cannabis, his response was “no comment”.

“It’d be nice to be able to talk to someone that knew the science behind it and knew how it works,” Ms Miot said.

The Miots are hopeful that Charlotte will be included in the Queensland trial.

Wil Anderson smoking marijuana Comedian Wil Anderson openly smoked marijuana on Internet podcast Getting Doug with High.

Editorial: Brave move is dope

THE Palaszczuk Government should be commended for its courageous stance to trial medicinal cannabis to help the acutely ill.

It will no doubt court controversy, especially with the uninformed who will see it as the start of the liberalisation of drug laws.

Medicinal cannabis use has already been introduced in a number of Western countries, with terrific results.

There is strong evidence showing it can reduce severe pain in cancer patients, epilepsy sufferers and those with neurological disease. What this trial does is allow the seriously ill to access medicinal marijuana without the stigma of having to acquire it illegally.

Strict regulations will govern who can and cannot access the drug.

With NSW also embracing the trial, it’s a victory for good policy and common sense.