On September 30, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) of New South Wales (NSW) and the NSW Law Society issued a joint call for legalized medicinal marijuana. Most other state AMA's, law societies and pharmacologists supported their call.
Dr Kerry Phelps, AMA NSW president, claimed that "legalizing prescription marijuana is a win-win situation." NSW Law Society president Margaret Hole explained that there was no reason why Australian drug laws could not exempt those who need medicinal marijuana. "If I have a disease," said Hole, "I have a human right to be treated with the best possible medicine."

The federal government responded by announcing on October 19 that a special committee would be set up to write a report and make recommendations on the issue, expected in November 2000.