North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has spoken in the Assembly Chamber this afternoon of the benefits of cannabis for people living with a range of health conditions and called for it to be made legally available for medicinal use by prescription.
Leading the Members Debate on Medicinal Cannabis, Mr Isherwood referred to clinical evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis for medicinal purposes and called on the Welsh Government to ask the UK Government to reschedule cannabis for medicinal purposes.
He said in preparation for this outcome, the Welsh Government should map out a system within the Welsh NHS whereby cannabis for medicinal purposes can be made available via a prescription to those who could benefit.
Speaking in the Chamber Mr Isherwood, who as both a North Wales AM and Chair of the Cross Party Group on Neurological Conditions, has been working with MS Society Cymru on this issue for some time, said:
“Today’s debate follows a meeting of the Cross Party Group on Neurological Conditions on medicinal cannabis that took place in October 2017 attended by people from across Wales living with a range of conditions, many of who are in the public gallery today, who find a benefit from using cannabis for medicinal purposes, but by doing so run the risk of prosecution.
“The motion recognises that whilst it may not be currently in the gift of the Wales Government to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes, it is asking the Welsh Government to ask the UK Government to reschedule cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2, so that it may be prescribed and legally supplied in recognition of the medicinal value of the drug.”
Mr Isherwood also spoke of the fact Wales was the first UK nation to approve Sativex, a cannabis-based drug, but stressed that MS Cymru expressed concern in March last year that many people were struggling to obtain it because the infrastructure did not exist.
He added: “It is only in the last few months that all Local Health Boards in Wales are able to prescribe Sativex to those people living with MS who are deemed eligible.
Sativex is only available for the treatment of spasticity to a small group of people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who meet the criteria.
“The MS Society UK changed its policy position to call on the UK Government and health bodies to ‘develop a system that legalises cannabis for medicinal use’ in light of positive evidence of the use of cannabis in treating both spasticity and pain. The Society estimates that around 10,000 people with MS in the UK could benefit from this.
“The clinical and anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis for medicinal use is compelling. People living with conditions such as, Multiple Sclerosis, Dystonia, Epilepsy, Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy and Cancer who use cannabis to alleviate the symptoms associated with their conditions cannot wait for a time when Wales may have the legislative competency to legalise cannabis for medicinal use. They should be able to make this decision without fear of prosecution.
- a reputable supply of cannabis is a real issue for many - and some are forced to utilise street dealers.
“Some are also concerned that by using cannabis they would be putting the people close to them at risk of prosecution and exposure to other drugs.
- Isherwood added: “There are a growing number of countries which regulate the medical use of cannabis and cannabis derivatives - Canada, the Netherlands, Israel and 29 States in the US regulate herbal cannabis for medical use. A number of other including Germany and Switzerland enable patients to import cannabis for medical use from the Netherlands.
“Ireland’s Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016 was passed in the Dail in late 2016, and is currently at Committee Stage. In the meantime licenses are being issued on a case by case by the Irish Health Minister.
“In October last year, Labour’s Newport West MP Paul Flynn presented a 10 minute rule Bill on the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use in Westminster. The Bill was put through unopposed to the next reading on the 23rd February 2018. Mr Flynn stated “It is time for us to lead public opinion rather than following it. It would be an act of compassion and courage for us to pass this Bill and make the very minor change it proposes: moving medicinal cannabis from schedule 1 to schedule 2.
“After all, because it is appreciated that there are people with chronic pain and debilitating illnesses who seek to alleviate their symptoms illicitly by using cannabis, the majority of whom would far rather obtain legally prescribed cannabinoid medication than be forced to smoke illegal substances, the Sentencing Council's guidelines on drug offences already identify such circumstances as a potential mitigating factor.”
Mr Isherwood concluded: “What a ridiculous state of affairs! Instead, Wales should have a system whereby cannabis for medicinal purposes can be made available via a prescription to those who could benefit. So let us make this happen, now!”