Medicinal cannabis prescribing practices under scrutiny
Medicinal cannabis access in Australia was hard won by high profile lobbyists seeking to help terminally and chronically ill patients as an option of last resort.
Now it's become big business with record numbers of scripts being written by doctors working for a growing number of telehealth companies.
A 7.30 investigation has found some are being pressured to prescribe.
National Health Reporter Elise Worthington and producer Emily Jane Smith have this exclusive report.
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News.com.au
34 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Manly Sea Eagles vow to crack down after horror fan footage
The Manly Sea Eagles have condemned fan behaviour that was posted to social media on Monday. The footage, posted to the creaturesofmanly Instagram account, shows fans on the hill at 4 Pines park partaking in the controversial 'Run It Straight' challenge. The activity sees opponents charging at each other with the objective to either successfully tackle the opponent or run them over in a hard-hitting collision. On Saturday night after the Sea Eagles had defeated the Brisbane Broncos, fans decided to turn the steep hill into their arena. Fans slowly trotted down the hill as others waited at the bottom to tackle them with countless people watching on and cheering. One man slammed down his drink before taking off down the hill where he was flattened by another individual. Another was hit just as hard while a third carried so much speed he bowled into the crowd at the bottom who all had their phones recording the chaos. The Sea Eagles have vowed to step up security with club CEO Tony Mestrov thankfully nobody was seriously injured. 'It's crazy that people will do this type of thing when they know how dangerous and potentially life-threatening it is,' Mestrov said to The Sydney Morning Herald. 'We will ensure our security is more vigilant in patrolling this outside zone after full-time, at all future home games. 'Any spectators who breach our rules by engaging in this type of behaviour will be banned. Full stop. As a club, we will continue to make the match day experience at 4 Pines Park one that is safe and enjoyable for all.' The footage of Manly fans doing the controversial activity comes after teenager Ryan Satterthwaite died last week while playing the game with friends in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The 19-year-old was taken to hospital by friends but passed away a day later. Leading sports neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce told that it was sadly 'only a matter of time' until the viral sport took a life and says if it continues this won't be the last time it does. 'This was a matter of time really as sad as that is to say,' Dr Pearce told 'The concern is that this can happen at any level. Even in the sanctioned 'run it' events someone will probably die in that at some point as well. 'It can't be done safely and when there's kids and teens that see it they like to copy what they see online, and this is something that absolutely not should be copied. 'It is the biggest please do not try this at home disclaimer if I've ever seen one'. 'RUNIT' has become an online viral sensation over the past few months, and has attracted tens of millions of views on various social media platforms. Videos of the heavy collisions started doing the rounds on social media in January, with 'Run it Straight Official' and 'RUNIT Championship League' turning the trend into a business. 'I just cannot understand how they could take the most violent aspect of sport (contact) and just turn it into a spectacle where the objective is just to try and knock out or hurt your opponent,' Dr Pearce told earlier this year.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘S**t joke': Aussie disability campaigner heckles British comedian over ‘insenstive' jokes
An Australian disability campaigner has slammed a British comedian over jokes about Type 1 diabetes. Campaigner Carmen Azzopardi was watching Paul Foot at the Moth Club in Hackney, in London's inner east, when the comedian launched into a 10-minute set filled with jokes about diabetics. In a video she shared on TikTok, Azzopardi claimed that Foot poked fun at people who wear glucose monitors, before mimicking someone having a hypoglycaemic attack by shaking. He also allegedly told the crowd that diabetics that suffer such episodes while wearing medical tech to help prevent them are 'idiots' because they 'don't know how to use their technology'. She said the comedian suggested diabetics have a 'victim mentality' and that it's 'not a real illness'. Speaking up during Foot's set, Azzopardi shouted from the audience: 'That was a s*** joke. I have Type 1 diabetes, that was extremely insensitive and miss-informative.' Foot rebuffed Azzopardi's heckling, insisting that he wasn't being insensitive toward people who live with diabetes. 'I don't think it's up to you to decide if it's insensitive or not,' continued the disability campaigner. The comedian then insisted that 'comedy is subjective' before going on to hit back at the Aussie woman for making the end of his set 'awkward' for everyone in the audience. 'Due to the failure of you to grasp that simple intellectual point, cause you fail to grasp the difference between these issues, cause of that it's ending in an awkward way,' he said. Foot then called out Azzopardi for talking during the end of his set and told the audience that she was on the 'emotional side' of an 'intellectual argument'. Azzopardi later added that the entire incident was 'deeply embarrassing' for the British comedian. 'All in all, deeply embarrassing for him, deeply, deeply sickening to witness as someone who is living with that disease,' she said in the TikTok video. 'It's probably one of the most blatant acts of ableism that I have ever personally experienced since being diagnosed with this illness, because that's what it is, it's an illness, not a punch line to a joke. I've never heckled/interrupted/called out during a show before but this was absolutely beyond disgusting and someone needed to say something.' Comments on TikTok were divided, with Aussie radio host Abbie Chatfield remarking: 'What a f**king loser … what is this niche diabetes beef???? Well done for standing up for yourself and others queen.' 'This is so weird? Did someone with diabetes break up with him? This is such a random gripe to have,' quizzed another. However, others inferred that the campaigner needed to grow a thicker skin when going to comedy shows. 'I understand how insensitive that must have felt but isn't this what comedy shows and satire is? It's joking and making fun of sometimes serious topics,' replied one. With another commenting: 'While I admit his jokes definitely weren't funny I don't agree with the 'you're so brave standing up' culture. I was at a gig were someone kicked off about a joke aimed at wearing glasses, it's a joke it's not real. If you are offended by jokes, even bad ones, just don't go to comedy shows.'
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Man arrested after body found with multiple stabs wounds in Sydney's inner west
A 32-year-old man has been arrested after a body was found with multiple stab wounds inside a home in Sydney's inner west, in what police believe may be a "drug deal gone horribly wrong". Emergency services went to a property at Croydon Park just after 5pm on Monday following reports of a concern for welfare. Police also attended, arriving "in minutes", and found the body of a man, believed to be in his 50s, inside the Kembla Street house. The man is yet to be identified. Police said the 32-year-old was arrested at the scene and taken to Burwood Police Station. Superintendent Christine McDonald said the incident was being treated as a homicide, and what unfolded at the house was "brutal". She was quick to point out that police did not believe it was domestic violence or gang-related. "This is a gruesome crime," Superintendent McDonald said. Superintendent McDonald emphasised the investigation was in its early stages and their working theory "may change". She added that at this stage it was unclear if the two men were known to each other or if the offender was known to police. "We're still piecing together who resides at this location, who attended this location this afternoon and for what reason. "And we'll work through that in the coming hours and days as this investigation progresses." In response to a question about the weapon used, she said: "We believe that it is still within the crime scene." Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
