Herbalist / Train Driver

Suppressed. That’s how it feels — by prohibition, by outdated driving laws, and by restrictions on cannabis use as an employee. And to be honest, it pisses me off.

I grew up in Toronto NSW during the 70s and 80s, a time when cannabis leaf, flower and hash were everywhere. It wasn’t something taboo. It was just there. I was never a heavy user, but it was a far better social substance than alcohol. It lifted the room without the drama.

I stepped away from cannabis mostly because I gave up tobacco, and then life took over — family, work, tight budgets. But as a medical herbalist, it always frustrated me that cannabis extracts weren’t allowed in our pharmacies. Not even for patients. Let alone for adults choosing to relax.

In recent years, I’ve seen just how valuable cannabis could be in my life, especially as I get older. It can ease stress, help me sleep deeply and offer a calm, relaxed mood without the health risks of alcohol.

But I can’t access it. Not legally. Not without risking my job or licence. Because of a prohibition based on 1920s reefer madness nonsense. Not science. Not evidence. And definitely not compassion.

It makes me furious that our governments keep dodging the issue. Legal adult use is coming. We all know it. They just need to get on with it.

That’s why I’ve stood as a candidate in state and federal elections. I want change. Not just for me, but for all of us. And if there’s an opportunity to run again, especially for the Senate, I’ll work my butt off to help legalise cannabis for adult use with proper state regulation.

One day soon, my brain and body will benefit from this plant again. But right now, we must fix driving and workplace drug testing laws for patients who are already legally prescribed cannabis.

Because this isn't just about weed. It’s about rights, science and dignity.

Andrew Fenwick