Careful what you say, submitters on medical cannabis law change told

Parliament is considering a law change which will decriminalise medical cannabis for terminally ill patients. Photo / Jason Oxenham

More than 200 people have been asked whether they want to change their submission on a medical cannabis law change because they have disclosed criminal acts or other sensitive information.

Officials from Parliament's Health Committee wrote to members of the public who had admitted to breaking the law or had revealed sensitive medical information or other personal details.

Around 2000 people have submitted on the law change, which would create a legal exemption for terminally ill people who use medical cannabis.

The committee's clerk Ciara Lee said 223 people had been contacted to let them know their submission would be published on Parliament's website, and gave them the option of withdrawing, amending, or anonymising it.

MPs on the committee would still get the original version of the submission.

Anyone who has their say on legislation is protected by Parliamentary privilege, which means the police cannot use any evidence in their submission to launch an investigation. However, there is nothing to stop police from launching a separate investigation into a submitter.

In the past, people have asked for their information to be removed from Parliament's website because they were applying for a job and did not want it to show up during any vetting process.