A MIA MIA mother whose daughter relies on medicinal cannabis to survive has applauded Prime Minister Tony Abbott for endorsing a proposal to legalise the drug.
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Mr Abbott threw his support behind the legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes in a letter read out on radio by talkback host Alan Jones on Wednesday.
Cheri O'Connell's daughter Tara, 8, has a severe form of epilepsy and was having more than 200 life-threatening seizures a day before she began taking medicinal cannabis in 2012.
Ms O'Connell said the push to legalise medicinal cannabis was quickly gaining traction, but was not yet over.
"It's fantastic, but he needs to follow through,"Ms O'Connell said.
"Kids are dying that don't need to die.
"He's the one in this country that has the power to change all this - he's thrown his support behind it but he hasn't said anything about legislative change."
The announcement came following NSW Premier Mike Baird's decision on Tuesday to approve a clinical trial for the use of the illicit drug.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has pledged to overhaul state laws to allow medical trials, while opposition leader Daniel Andrews has promised to legalise cannabis should Labor win government at the November election.
"Everything is moving in the right direction but we need it at the federal level," Ms O'Connell said.
"If we don't we'll have a sort of refugee situation where people will flood to certain states to get access which just won't work.
"We are one country and it needs to be recognised in all parts of the country."
Mr Abbott's letter stated he believed no further testing should be needed on the drug if it is legal in similar jurisdictions.
"I have no problem with the medical use of cannabis, just as I have no problem with the medical use of opiates," Mr Abbott wrote.
"If a drug is needed for a valid medicinal purpose... and is being administered safely there should be no question of its legality."
