Adam Koessler is a loving father who was arrested on 2nd January 2015 for allegedly administering medicinal cannabis oil to his 2 year old daughter, after she was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma.  
Adams bails conditions were amended in the Brisbane Magistrates court on 16th January, to allow him to see his daughter, who is receiving treatment in the Lady Cilento Children's hospital - South Brisbane. 
His visitation with his child has been restricted by the hospital who have defaulted to existing court orders, issued by the family court in 2013. 
He is not kept informed of her treatment, her progress and not informed when she is having surgery or of significant information relating to her care and treatment.

Marijuana plant. Picture: AP Source: AP

PEOPLE who occasionally smoke marijuana do not suffer long-term lung damage the way cigarette smokers do and may actually experience a slight improvement, according to a US study published today.

Since the research includes more than 5000 people over 20 years, the authors say it should help clear up some of the confusion about the risks of marijuana smoking, which is increasingly common in the US.

However, they warned that the risks of heavy marijuana use were difficult to assess and cautioned against regular or frequent smoking.

For anyone already following the story: 

The interim report put forward to the Tasmanian government, calling for an urgent legislative change aimed at protecting seriously ill medical cannabis users from prosecution, has today been rejected. 

Tasmanian Health Minister Michael Ferguson ruled out any changes to the current laws, telling the press: "Advice from Tasmania Police is it's not necessary and could potentially create a new set of problems including opening up the risk that people would self-medicate, with no licensing or limit to quantity. The Police Commissioner has said Tasmania Police will not seek to criminally pursue terminally ill users of cannabis." 

A Manus Island detainee alleges a third of asylum seekers in detention on the Papua New Guinea island is turning to marijuana to relieve their suffering.

Photo: AFP

A detainee has told Guardian Australia that a black market for the drug exists on Manus, and unhappy detainees are easy targets for dealers.

The detainee estimates more than 10 percent of asylum seekers use marijuana every night and almost half from time to time.

Hemp is a fast growing, water efficient crop, which can thrive in the worst soil and can be used for a bevy of products, including paper,food, and medicine. It was around thousands of years ago and it’s still being grown today, just not as much since being banned in the US decades ago. It’s got a bad reputation, being guilty by association since its cousin crop is marijuana.

The bid to legalise cannabis for medical use is gaining momentum, and Tasmania has been suggested as a growing site.

A cross-party delegation from New South Wales will be in Tasmania next week for a site visit and will meet the state Health Minister.

NSW MP Kevin Anderson, who is working on a private member's bill to legalise medicinal cannabis for the terminally ill in that state, will lead the delegation.

Tasman Health Cannabinoids, a private company, is proposing trials to grow medical cannabis after conducting extensive tests in partnership with the University of Tasmania.

Medicinal cannabis is being touted as a crop that would complement Tasmania's lucrative poppy harvest.