29th August 2023 13:26
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan):
We celebrated National Science Week recently, and as a member of Legalise Cannabis Victoria, it will be no surprise that my love of science has cannabis at its core. The scientific research on the health benefits of cannabis is extensive, but today I would like to focus on the therapeutic benefits for those suffering from endometriosis. Many patients use medicinal cannabis to help manage their pain and other symptoms. Among other benefits, it helps with sleep, nausea, mental health and inflammation. Medicinal cannabis has also been proven to help cease or reduce opioid use, preventing needless addiction and severe withdrawal. A quick shout-out to Deakin University researchers in this space, who are currently investigating the impact of substituting opioids for cannabis on those with endometriosis and its potential to reduce emergency department presentations. I look forward to your findings in this space. The science on cannabis as a health-led alternative is sensational, so let us celebrate it.
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