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Plea to legalise medical marijuana gains support

Angel Watterson among hundreds of people in rally to call for the medical use of marijuana to be legalised. Picture: Bill Hatto/The West Australian

Teenager Angel Watterson, who needs a wheelchair because of the pain of arthritis and the curse of epileptic fits, was one of hundreds of people who yesterday called on the State Government to legalise medical marijuana.

In front of the court that her mum Jodi fears she might end up in if she allows her daughter access to the drug, the 13-year-old spoke passionately about why she should be allowed the choice to legally take prescribed marijuana to help with her symptoms.

And hers was one of dozens of stories of pain and frustration aired as part of a national campaign to have medical marijuana legalised across the country.

Angel has juvenile psoriatic arthritis and epilepsy, which leave her in constant pain and in dread of the next fit.

But despite much anecdotal evidence of the positive effects marijuana could have on her condition, Jodi says she is not willing to take the risk of a criminal record to buy it for her daughter.

"I have never been to a rally in my life, but this is something I feel so strongly about, and so does Angel," Jodi said.

"Angel should be able to choose what she is treated with."

Epilepsy Association of WA chief executive Suresh Rajan said it was estimated that more than 1000 epilepsy sufferers in WA were already taking the drug to relieve their symptoms.

Health Minister Kim Hames agreed that research into the potential benefits of medical marijuana should be encouraged but said a national approach was needed.

And WA's Uniting Church has also voted to support changes to the law to allow doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis under supervision.

Uniting Church WA acting general secretary Rosemary Hudson Miller said some attendees to the meeting shared personal experiences, describing how loved ones with chronic or terminal illnesses had found morphine inadequate for managing pain and suffered side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

"The current laws mean that family and friends choose, at some personal risk, to provide cannabis to relieve symptoms and pain, rather than watch the agony of suffering," she said.