Ireland: Cannabis Bill rejection a ‘shambles’, says People Before Profit TD

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Ireland: Cannabis Bill rejection a ‘shambles’, says People Before Profit TD

13 July 2017

By Vivienne Clarke

The Dáil committee’s report warned that, were the Bill to pass into law, it may also have the effect of decriminalising cannabis use for recreational users. It argues that there is still a shortage of scientific peer-reviewed evidence on the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoid treatments for medical conditions, despite initial encouraging medicinal possibilities.

The report by the Oireachtas committee said the Bill has major legal issues and the proposed framework to allow patients access cannabis for medical reasons is “too loose to effectively guard against leakage of supply to recreational users, [and] overuse by patients”. The health committee report outlines that it is “concerned that the Bill proposes to remove cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977”, which the report warns may have the effect of decriminalising cannabis use for all users. The committee’s scrutiny report argues there is still a shortage of scientific peer-reviewed evidence on the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoid treatments for medical conditions, despite initial encouraging medicinal possibilities.

People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny said that families were becoming medical refugees, going to Holland for treatment. “What happened yesterday is a shambles.”

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Thumbnail: CC Chuck Coker