Cannabis protest in memory of lost son

  • 01/07/2016
(Newshub.)
(Newshub.)

Protesters have gathered outside MP Nick Smith's Nelson office calling on the Government to legalise medicinal cannabis.

Rose Renton's son Alex died a year ago today, after a prolonged epileptic seizure.

She says the protest is in his memory.

"We are here to celebrate Alex's life but also Alex's message to us, for those of us who would choose medicinal cannabis, that's a human right and we will keep pushing until the law is changed".

He'd undergone experimental treatment using a cannabis-based product to try and calm the continuous seizures.

Rose Renton says the Government isn't listening to what people are asking for.

"People want this and so we'll keep protesting and we aren't going away, just like Alex's memory won't go away."

 She believes the National Government has been using Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne as a mouthpiece.

"John Key and Mr Coleman both have been avoiding it, they've used Peter Dunne for a year because Peter Dunne can't do anything so we are just reminding the government, hence being at Nick Smith's office."

Currently, people who want access to cannabidiol treatment need to apply to the Health Minister.

In March the Associate Health Minister asked officials in March to look at whether the current guidelines for assessing applications to prescribe cannabis-based products were still fit for purpose.

"The feedback received was unanimously supportive that the guidelines and process are sound," said Mr Dunne.

Nelson teenager Alex Renton was the first to receive ministerial sign off for a cannabinoid oil called Elixinol.

Newshub.