Hi Gregory

Thank you for your email of 18 May 2016 in which you submitted an Official Information Act request as follows:

"You were quoted recently making the following public statement: "We reiterate our strong commitment to improving access...by appropriately addressing barriers in this regard including legislation", in regard accessing medicinal cannabis.

With your statement in mind I would like to know the following please:

1. Have you removed any barriers to improving access to medicinal cannabis and if so what has been done?
2. Have you started work on any legislative changes to improve access to medicinal cannabis?
3. If you have started working on any proposed legislative changes what are those propsed changes?
4. If you have not started work on any legislative changes when will you be starting as outlined in your recent public comments?
5. If you have not removed any barriers as stated in your recent public comments why is there a delay and when will you be honouring your public comments as above?
6. Will you be calling for improved medical training in regard easier access to medicinal cannabis? If not why not?
7. Will you be placing Sativex into Misuse of Drugs Regulations 22(2) as a fast and easy way to improve access to medicinal cannabis? If not why not?"

I apologise for the delayed acknowledgement of your OIA request.

The Minister is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and will respond in due course.

Thanks & regards
Gail Robinson

Gail Robinson | Senior Private Secretary | Office of Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
Minister of Local Government | Minister for Pacific Peoples | Minister for Ethnic Communities
Associate Minister of Health | MP for Maungakiekie
Level 4.3L Executive Wing | Private Bag 18041 | Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160 | New Zealand
DDI +64 4 817 9773 | Fax: +64 4 817 6539

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Dear Mr Soar,

 

My sincere apologies for the delay in response.

 

On behalf of Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga,  Associate Minister of Health,
thank you for your email of May 18, 2016 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982:

 

“You were quoted recently making the following public statement: "We
reiterate our strong commitment to improving access...by  appropriately
addressing barriers in this regard including legislation", in regard
accessing medicinal cannabis.

 

With your statement in mind I would like to know the following please:

 

1.       Have you removed any barriers to improving access to medicinal
cannabis and if so what has been done?

2.       Have you started work on any legislative changes to improve
access to medicinal cannabis?

3.       If you have started working on any proposed legislative changes
what are those propsed changes?]

4.       If you have not started work on any legislative changes when will
you be starting as outlined in your recent public comments?

5.       If you have not removed any barriers as stated in your recent
public comments why is there a delay and when will you be honouring your
public comments as above?

6.       Will you be calling for improved medical training in regard
easier access to medicinal cannabis?   If not why not? 

7.       Will you be placing Sativex into Misuse of Drugs Regulations
22(2) as a fast and easy way to improve access to medicinal cannabis?  If
not why not?”

 

The information requested appears to be more closely associated with the
functions and responsibilities of the Associate Minister of Health, Hon
Peter Dunne. Accordingly, your request is being transferred to Hon Peter
Dunne under section 14(b)(ii) of the Official Information Act 1982.

 

Thanks & Kind regards,

 

Salote Talagi

 

Salote Talagi |  Private Secretary (Executive Support) | Office of Hon
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga  

Minister of Local Government | Minister for Pacific Peoples | Minister for
Ethnic Communities

Associate Minister of Health | MP for Maungakiekie

Level 4.3L Executive Wing | Private Bag 18041 | Parliament Buildings |
Wellington 6160 | New Zealand
DDI +64 4 817 8211 | Fax: +64 4 817 6539

 

 

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Dear Gregory Soar

Thank you for your request for official information, received by the
Ministry of Health on 26 July 2016. The Ministry's reference number for
your request is: H20160 3024

You requested:

You were quoted recently making the following public statement: "We
reiterate our strong commitment to improving access...by  appropriately
addressing barriers in this regard including legislation", in regard
accessing medicinal cannabis.
 
With your statement in mind I would like to know the following please:
 
1. Have you removed any barriers to improving access to medicinal cannabis
and if so what has been done?
2. Have you started work on any legislative changes to improve access to
medicinal cannabis?
3. If you have started working on any proposed legislative changes what
are those propsed changes?
4. If you have not started work on any legislative changes when will you
be starting as outlined in your recent public comments?
5. If you have not removed any barriers as stated in your recent public
comments why is there a delay and when will you be honouring your public
comments as above?
6. Will you be calling for improved medical training in regard easier
access to medicinal cannabis?   If not why not?  
7. Will you be placing Sativex into Misuse of Drugs Regulations 22(2) as a
fast and easy way to improve access to medicinal cannabis?  If not why
not?

Your request has been received and logged.  You can expect a reply no
later than 23 August 2016 as required under the Official Information Act
1982.

Please note that a working day is defined in the Act as ‘any day of the
week other than a Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day,
Labour Day, the Sovereigns birthday, Waitangi Day and a day in the period
commencing 25 December in any year and ending 15 January in the following
year.

If a large amount of information has been requested or if the Ministry
needs to consult in order to make a decision, we may need to extend this
date (this is provided for in section 15A of the Act).  We will advise you
if such an extension is necessary.

The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H20160 3024

Yours sincerely,

Melissa Buckle l OIA Co-ordinator
[email address]
Government Relations l Ministerial, Executive and Government Services l
Office of the Director General

[1]http://www.health.govt.nz

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.health.govt.nz/

Dear Mr Soar.
Please find attached the response from the Hon Peter Dunne, Associate Minister of Health, to your request under the Official Information Act dated 18 May 2016.
Yours sincerely
Rob Eaddy

Chief of Staff
Office of the Hon Peter Dunne
Minister of Internal Affairs
Associate Minister of Health
Parliament Buildings
WELLINGTON
04 817 9890

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