20-year-old chronic pain sufferer Laura Bryant said she was disappointed an Assembly committee looking into a proposed medical cannabis access scheme had recommended against passing a bill that would have allowed sufferers like her legal access to the drug.

Since sharing her personal story of turning to cannabis Ms Bryant has been inundated with hundreds of messages of support, but also scores of pleas for help from other sufferers like her.

"These people are at the point where I was where they are starting to give up. For me getting this passed seems so urgent and it's disappointing that the ACT doesn't seem to be taking the lead on this important issue," Ms Bryant said.

While she understood the need for medical trials, Ms Bryant said extensive trials had already been run overseas and had delivered the results needed by doctors. Most of those contacting her for advice were also scared of having to navigate the black market where they risked being ripped off.

"There are simple steps than can be taken now to help those people while the other issues are worked out. Ultimately I think there are positive developments, like the bill being proposed by (federal Greens leader) Richard Di Natale, I think there is so much support for this that it will change eventually."

Curus Medical director Andrew McCrea has been attempting to start a medical cannabis production scheme in the ACT and elsewhere to help those like his wife who suffers from a debilitating chronic muscle condition.

He said the Assembly committee's report was not particularly surprising, but was disappointing.

"It's one step backwards, but where there is a will there is a way and people are now seeing what is happening overseas and demanding our politicians get on board here," Mr McCrea said.

"There are still some people who seem to think this is about hippies and stoners, it's not, it's about a medical-grade product that has been proven in many of our partner countries to be safe and effective."

Mr McCrea said current products like Sativex that had been endorsed by the committee had been found to be expensive and in some cases less effective than the raw plant itself, and synthetic cannabinoids were also likely to prove less effective than the herbal version of the medicine.

Lucy Haslam, mother of high-profile medical cannabis campaigner Dan Haslam who died earlier this year, said the report was another example of politicians refusing to put themselves in the position of gravely ill people.

"The reality is that sick people are forced into criminality because they need to manage debilitating symptoms, yet they are treated as if they were using cannabis to get high," Mrs Haslam said.

"There is no compassion and no desire to help them. A sophisticated and compassionate country should be doing much better."