MEDICAL CANNABIS —
OPIOID-RELATED MORTALITY RATES
368. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to recent
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures suggesting that Western Australia has
consistently recorded the highest levels of fentanyl addiction and overdose in
Australia.
(1) Is the
minister aware of the paper that appeared in the British Medical Journal
of 27 January 2021 entitled ''Association between country level cannabis
dispensary counts and opioid related mortality rates in the United States'',
which concludes that there is ''a potential association between
increased prevalence of medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensaries and
reduced opioid related mortality rates''?
(2) If yes to
(1), will the minister ensure that these conclusions are considered by the
Department of Health in any future planning it might undertake in this space?
(3) If no to (1),
might I offer the minister a copy of the paper for his consideration?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) The honourable member is welcome to provide a copy
of the paper to the minister's office, the Department of Health
and the Mental Health Commission.