Canberra, Sep 15 (IANS): The Uniting Church has urged the Western Australian government to consider legalising marijuana for medicinal use, media reported Monday.

The Uniting Church in Australia was formed June 22, 1977, as a union of three churches: the Congregational Union of Australia, the Methodist Church of Australasia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

The decision to favour medical marijuana was taken by church's synod during the annual meeting held in Perth Sunday, WA Today reported.

They urged the government to bring changes to state law, so doctors could prescribe medicinal marijuana, which would be administered under supervision.

Medical marijuana has a high proportion of cannibidiol which is a non-psycho-active component of marijuana that possesses a wide range of therapeutic benefits and a low proportion of the intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol.

"The current laws mean that family and friends choose, at some personal risk, to provide marijuana to relieve symptoms and pain, rather than watch the agony of suffering," a church official said.

Western Australian government health minister Kim Hames said there was evidence that marijuana and its extracts were beneficial in treating a range of conditions, but more research was needed.