http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/medical-cannabis-record-donation-of-30-million-for-research-at-university-of-sydney-20150612-ghmieu.html

Sydney University scientists will be given more than $30 million to research the medical applications of cannabis, the largest research donation in the university's history.

The $33.7 million donation, from Barry and Joy Lambert, is among the largest research donations to any university in Australian history.

The Lambert Initiative will bring together three of the university's leading researchers who argue cannabis is the next frontier for medical discovery and a potential treatment for obesity, schizophrenia and drug addiction.

\"This is something that is going to reverberate around the world,\" Premier Mike Baird said. \"We are now leading this country and, in many respects, the world\".

Mr Lambert " a BRW rich-lister who made his fortune in financial planning - said the family was inspired to make the donation after his granddaughter Katelyn found relief from epileptic seizures through cannabis-based medicine.

\"When you get to the end of the road you try desperate measures,\" his wife Joy said. \"I never imagined she would be able to go to preschool\".

Psychopharmacology Professor Iain McGregor said the centre's research will focus on 10 key \"cannabinoid\" compounds found in marijuana and their potential use to treat a range of illnesses, including childhood epilepsy.

\"Only one [THC] is psychoactive,\" Professor McGregor said. \"This gift will allow us to explore one of the most exciting questions in modern medicine.

\"The new science of cannabinoids has incredible potential for relief of human suffering and to repair damaged bodies and brains\".

Pre-clinical research in Sydney has found one of marijuana's compounds improves memory in mice with Alzheimers-like symptoms.

Researchers say only about 10 of its roughly 100 compounds are sufficiently well known for trials to be feasible. The scientific potential of the others remains unexplored.

Professor McGregor said the centre could grow its own cannabis for the research, under licence from the state's chief pharmacist and will also seek to synthesise cannabis compounds in a lab.
Some parents use a cannabis tincture to treat children with epilepsy. It often contains a very low level of the drug's psychoactive component but must still be obtained illegally.

Intractable childhood epilepsy is one of three conditions for which the use of medical cannabis will be trialled by the NSW government. Trials are expected to begin next year and, if successful, could be a prelude to the drug's eventual decriminalisation for medical use.

Researchers will also study the drug's use for end-of-life pain and chemotherapy-related nausea.

Medical marijuana advocates have welcomed the trial but also said Premier Mike Baird is moving too slowly, while sufferers are forced to seek out black-market marijuana for relief.

But the Premier said yesterday the state government was moving as quickly as it could to extend relief to sufferers and hinted at further announcements.

\"We have more announcements upcoming in relation to the trials,\" he said. \"We've been buoyed by the response\".

It remains to be seen how the trial will be supplied but the Premier has said he is open to all options, including having the government grow its own supply.

The state government created in December a register for terminally-ill users of medical marijuana. Police have the discretion to not charge them for possessing small amounts of the drug.

But six months after it was announced fewer than 50 sufferers had registered, prompting criticism the scheme had been poorly advertised.