The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act 2010

PatientX

I have written proposed legislation for the use of Medical Cannabis in Ireland & Europe. The proposed law is available for viewing on the link below. I currently have a meeting scheduled with the Minister for Drugs to discuss the proposal, it is also being discussed at a scheduled meeting of the EU Health Commission in September. The proposal is also being used as a guide to restructure Health Canada's Medical Cannabis programme.

We have over 3,000 supporters on Facebook and are currently seeking medical professionals willing to discuss the medical use of cannabis at meetings or be part of our team in getting this legislation enacted.

If you are a medical professional with the legal requirements to prescribe medicine and would like to help, I have a library of over 1000 laboratory and medical papers from the most highly respected researchers in this field. Please contact me directly if you can help!http://www.hempirl.webs.com

demonspawn

PatientX wrote: »

I have written proposed legislation for the use of Medical Cannabis in Ireland & Europe. The proposed law is available for viewing on the link below. I currently have a meeting scheduled with the Minister for Drugs to discuss the proposal, it is also being discussed at a scheduled meeting of the EU Health Commission in September. The proposal is also being used as a guide to restructure Health Canada's Medical Cannabis programme.

We have over 3,000 supporters on Facebook and are currently seeking medical professionals willing to discuss the medical use of cannabis at meetings or be part of our team in getting this legislation enacted.

If you are a medical professional with the legal requirements to prescribe medicine and would like to help, I have a library of over 1000 laboratory and medical papers from the most highly respected researchers in this field. Please contact me directly if you can help!http://www.hempirl.webs.com

Good luck with that mate. After hundreds of years of the use of psilocybin mushrooms in this country with 0 recorded fatalities, some asshat jumps off a roof while he's tripping and mushrooms are banned outright a couple days later. These are not reasonable people you're dealing with. I'd love to see your legislation passed but it won't happen under the current government.

PatientX

well, the meetings are scheduled and going ahead, if Fianna Fail won't do it a Fine Gael/ Labour coalition will! Both parties have senior members who have called for decriminalization, at least this way money comes into the exchecquer!

demonspawn

Well, I applaud your efforts regardless of the outcome. I'm a bit of a fan of the ol' cannabis sativa myself. 95% safer than alcohol and doesn't leave you feeling like you're gonna die the next day.

I sincerely wish you the best and you have the support of hundreds of thousands of people around the country.

PatientX

Well the results of prohibition couldn't be more clear than in this recent article stating ' There has been a huge increase in hospital admissions due to 'head shop' drugs, sold since the stores were banned.'

Dealers don't ask for ID and drag kids in as runners to avoid prosecution themselves, this ensures a new crop of recruits as needed into gangs. Placating a few wound-up conservatives who wouldn't know cannabis from coke while throwing the nations children to the dealers is not the way!!!

henryporter

Well done on a fantastic cause and equally fantastic website. Its absolutely ludicrous that governments worldwide have made the cultivation and use of a natural substance illegal while allowing drugs companies to become very very rich peddling undertested chemicals at extortionate rates. I had to undergo a course of antibiotics recently for a wasp sting(!), the side effects of which included headaches and tiredness, other side effects not experienced but noted on the disclaimer included temporary deafness!!. I can say as an occasional user of cannabis that there are no side effects at all.

I also watched my father die from lung cancer and wished he and others could have been allowed to die with the choice of medicinal cannabis. I'm not a medical professional but if you need any assistance please pm

kev9100

I wish you the best of luck with this but I doubt you will get much from either FF or FG. Still, you never know:).

duckysauce

good luck whats the facebook page ?

Sulmac

Best of luck with the campaign.

Bottle_of_Smoke

demonspawn wrote: »

Good luck with that mate. After hundreds of years of the use of psilocybin mushrooms in this country with 0 recorded fatalities, some asshat jumps off a roof while he's tripping and mushrooms are banned outright a couple days later. These are not reasonable people you're dealing with. I'd love to see your legislation passed but it won't happen under the current government.

I read he jumped out less than 15 minutes after eating the mushrooms. So he wasn't even tripping.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Mate I fully support what you're doing. I just think your site looks a bit stonerish. I'd change that logo it looks like something off a "free da weed" bebo skin

Overheal

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Mate I fully support what you're doing. I just think your site looks a bit stonerish. I'd change that logo it looks like something off a "free da weed" bebo skin

I concur. Politics will take you more seriously if you present yourself far more professionally.

demonspawn

PatientX, just a suggestion. Try to compile a DVD of patient testimony in regard to the use of medicinal cannabis. Ask the minister to take it home and watch it so he can get a better sense about what this issue is really about.

I found this video on Youtube, and there are many more. It goes to show that the people looking for legislation are not just stoners and hippies, but normal people who really need help with their conditions, help they are just not getting with conventional treatments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F6pWJnjE5A

Edit: Under no circumstances should you show the minister the following video.

FTA69

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

I read he jumped out less than 15 minutes after eating the mushrooms. So he wasn't even tripping.

He was also supposed to have been blind drunk.

Corsendonk

Will this be Irish or imported Cannabis?

demonspawn

Corsendonk wrote: »

Will this be Irish or imported Cannabis?

I would imagine some people could apply for a carer status or something similar and obtain a license to grow for a specified patient. I know for a fact that's it's already being grown in this country, and grown quite successfully.

Corsendonk

Rush Bush, been around since the 70s at least.

I am talking commercial growing scale with high electric fences around production area and supplied through pharmacist on prescription. You dont think there going to let anyone just grow it? Instead of two plants they suddenly have 10 plants for emergencies!!!

I know that one large commercial grower in the Uk that was doing Hemp trials which is a a close cousin of Cannabis but you have to smoke large quantities of it to get a buzz and gives you a nasty headache was plagued by tree huggers/stoners getting stuck on his security fences.

Nijmegen

They're moving this way in California, where you can already buy the stuff with a note from your doctor, and proper, controlled and inspected farms and production facilities are in place and being expanded in anticipation of full legalisation later in the year. They figure it could be a $1bn industry for California, taxable and legitimate.

Alcohol is a crazy drug we allow, so I don't see a problem with cannabis.

demonspawn

Corsendonk wrote: »

Rush Bush, been around since the 70s at least.

I am talking commercial growing scale with high electric fences around production area and supplied through pharmacist on prescription. You dont think there going to let anyone just grow it? Instead of two plants they suddenly have 10 plants for emergencies!!!

There are hydroponic systems currently available that require no attention whatsoever once it's up and running. A patient can simply apply for a license, have the system set up by a professional (more jobs!), then just sit back and enjoy watching their natural medicine grow. Even the aroma of a cannabis plant is said to have therapeutic qualities. Also, I doubt many people will be growing outdoors considering Ireland's changeable climate. Indoor production is many times more efficient and provides a much higher level of control, resulting in overall higher yield.

I know that one large commercial grower in the Uk that was doing Hemp trials which is a a close cousin of Cannabis but you have to smoke large quantities of it to get a buzz and gives you a nasty headache was plagued by tree huggers/stoners getting stuck on his security fences.

Commercial hemp plants have no THC content, those that do have such a low content you'd get a better buzz smoking banana skins. You'd literally have to smoke pounds of hemp to catch a buzz, but you'd probably die of asphyxiation first. It's not recommended.

Corsendonk

demonspawn wrote: »

There are hydroponic systems currently available that require no attention whatsoever once it's up and running. A patient can simply apply for a license, have the system set up by a professional (more jobs!), then just sit back and enjoy watching their natural medicine grow. Even the aroma of a cannabis plant is said to have therapeutic qualities. Also, I doubt many people will be growing outdoors considering Ireland's changeable climate. Indoor production is many times more efficient and provides a much higher level of control, resulting in overall higher yield..

Where is your control?

Sorry if its legalised it won't be part time growing. Its will have to be regulated by the Medicines Board as any other medicine.

It be large commercial growers in heated glasshouses that are energy efficient as much as possile if grown in Ireland with sufficient security.. The product will have to be grown to specification with an upper limit for THC content so cultivars to be used will have to be controlled. Batches will have to be lab tested before release.

The price is sufficient enough that you can grow it in Ireland all year round and afford to heat and subliment lighting in the darker months. With documented production records and full traceability of product all along the system. Strict criteria as well must be inplace for medical conditions that would benefit from the use of Cannabis on prescription.

demonspawn

Corsendonk wrote: »

Where is your control?

Sorry if its legalised it won't be part time growing. Its will have to be regulated by the Medicines Board as any other medicine.

It be large commercial growers in heated glasshouses that are energy efficient as much as possile if grown in Ireland with sufficient security.. The product will have to be grown to specification with an upper limit for THC content so cultivars to be used will have to be controlled. Batches will have to be lab tested before release.

The price is sufficient enough that you can grow it in Ireland all year round and afford to heat and subliment lighting in the darker months. With documented production records and full traceability of product all along the system. Strict criteria as well must be inplace for medical conditions that would benefit from the use of Cannabis on prescription.

Or maybe the government will finally realize that a very large proportion of Ireland's population already use cannabis recreationally and legalize it all together. You're suggestion of strict controls is somewhat pointless. Cannabis has no fatal overdose. Controls would be completely unnecessary. There's more risk to your health eating vegetables sprayed with pesticide than there is consuming cannabis. Yes, smoking it can be unhealthy, but not everyone smokes cannabis. It can be digested and still have the exact same medicinal (and recreational) effect.

Edit: "Cannabis has no fatal overdose" I just wanted to reiterate this very important fact. Nobody has ever died from consuming cannabis....ever...in the recorded history of mankind...not one single case.

demonspawn

Here's a typical example of a cannabis "overdose".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDpJpraLes

Edit: The caller states that they orally consumed one quarter ounce of cannabis. Any experienced user will tell you that a quarter ounce in one sitting is a very large amount of cannabis.

Sulmac

demonspawn wrote: »

Here's a typical example of a cannabis "overdose".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDpJpraLes

Edit: The caller states that they orally consumed one quarter ounce of cannabis. Any experienced user will tell you that a quarter ounce in one sitting is a very large amount of cannabis.

Makes your wonder how many calls the emergency operators have to deal with that involve alcohol.

Corsendonk

demonspawn wrote: »

Or maybe the government will finally realize that a very large proportion of Ireland's population already use cannabis recreationally and legalize it all together. You're suggestion of strict controls is somewhat pointless. Cannabis has no fatal overdose. Controls would be completely unnecessary. There's more risk to your health eating vegetables sprayed with pesticide than there is consuming cannabis. Yes, smoking it can be unhealthy, but not everyone smokes cannabis. It can be digested and still have the exact same medicinal (and recreational) effect.

Edit: "Cannabis has no fatal overdose" I just wanted to reiterate this very important fact. Nobody has ever died from consuming cannabis....ever...in the recorded history of mankind...not one single case.

The proposal is to declare it a medicine, it then comes under the Medicines Board like all other medicines. So it will have to be treated as such so no its not pointless but due diligence. Tight control will be needed to control medicinal production entering the recreational market. I be interested to see the science papers that backs up your risk rating of cannabis compared to pesticide usage on vegetables.

demonspawn

Corsendonk wrote: »

The proposal is to declare it a medicine, it then comes under the Medicines Board like all other medicines. So it will have to be treated as such so no its not pointless but due diligence. Tight control will be needed to control medicinal production entering the recreational market. I be interested to see the science papers that backs up your risk rating of cannabis compared to pesticide usage on vegetables.

I agree it will need to be regulated as a medicine. There may be some cases where cannabis is just not an appropriate medication for certain patients. It can have negative psychological effects on certain users.

There are many papers documenting the relatively harmless effects of cannabis use. I'm sure these could be coupled with the many papers documenting the positively harmful effects of ingesting pesticides.

Corsendonk

demonspawn wrote: »

I agree it will need to be regulated as a medicine. There may be some cases where cannabis is just not an appropriate medication for certain patients. It can have negative psychological effects on certain users.

There are many papers documenting the relatively harmless effects of cannabis use. I'm sure these could be coupled with the many papers documenting the positively harmful effects of ingesting pesticides.

As you will find papers on the positive effects of pesticides on increasing yields and preventing starvation in todays world when used correctly. You don't think the major recreational growers abroad don't treat there crops with pesticides when they might lose their harvest?

Wertz

Nijmegen wrote: »

They're moving this way in California, where you can already buy the stuff with a note from your doctor, and proper, controlled and inspected farms and production facilities are in place and being expanded in anticipation of full legalisation later in the year. They figure it could be a $1bn industry for California, taxable and legitimate.

Not just for sale either, so it's not solely being seen by a cash strapped state as a handy revenue source; home growing is fully legal once certified.

Good mate of mine was on his honeymoon in cali a few months back...he went to a doctor, told him about his back problem (*cough*) got his cert that day after paying a consultation fee. The cert allows him to buy/possess up to a certain weight of the drug and/or have 6 mature plants AND 12 immature plants for personal use. The cert lasts one year and you pay 40-50 dollars for another consultation/re-issue.
He and his wife said the system was so grown up and sensible, something that's lacking here.

Obviously the naysayers will mention that medical marijuana is just a way for stoners to legally get their hands on a recreational supply and whilst that is true to an extent, there ARE a lot of people out there taking pricey 'script meds (many of them for free under the GMCS) for a wide variety of painful conditions that could be helped bya medical supply of hemp.

BTW agree that the site's b/g repeater makes it look like a student's bedroom. I'd be happy to run you up a gif that got the message across but wasn't so in your face. First impressions, to sceptics visiting your site, are important...

Corsendonk

The californian doctor story reminded me of this snippet about India. In India in the 60s-70s, the country went through a period of alcohol prohibition, visitors to the country had to get alcolholic stamped on their passports by customs on entry into the country so they could be allowed to drink there medication.

Wertz

Corsendonk wrote: »

Where is your control?

Sorry if its legalised it won't be part time growing. Its will have to be regulated by the Medicines Board as any other medicine.

Why? How come the californians can get around the FDA systems of beauracracy and allow licensed home growing, but we can't?
The one way to sort all that is for people to buy their starter seeds from a regulated supplier...

Seems to me that those on the IMB like having little earners like regulation...fine for stuff that's been developed in labs for 3 years and tested on rats, but we're talking about a plant here.

OP: I've made you a background gif for your site that might be a bit more subtle. It's also about 10% of the size of the jpg you're now using, so will save bandwidth. PM me if you want it.

drunkmonkey

Does God have any view on all this, didn't see it mentioned in the 10 commandments. It all seems like it should be a basic human right, the right to get high with what mother nature has given us if we want to.
This is a human rights issue.

Wertz

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Does God have any view on all this, didn't see it mentioned in the 10 commandments. It all seems like it should be a basic human right, the right to get high with what mother nature has given us if we want to.
This is a human rights issue.

Probably comes under worshipping false idols.

If it's a choice I'd rather fire up a blunt on a sunday morning than sit through the local mass. No offence to anyone religious reading this btw.

As an aside: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayahuasca#Usage

Catholics use this hallucinogenic brew as a sacrament in parts of Brazil. The active ingredient is prohibited except for use as a sacrament. I don't know how anyone can use moralistic arguments regarding banning drugs when this practice is commonplace among a catholic sect...

Sorry for OT.

Corsendonk

Wertz wrote: »

Why? How come the californians can get around the FDA systems of beauracracy and allow licensed home growing, but we can't?
The one way to sort all that is for people to buy their starter seeds from a regulated supplier...

.

You can't control starter kits usage and not everyone is a good gardener. Also if the person pops there clogs what happens to their plants? Hydroponic production is great but uses alot of energy so do you sub patients electricity bills too? The system is prone to bacterial infection in the water system so your plants can easily be killed overnight.

Better to have central control, grown by professional growers not by ex-attic growers and it will provide jobs too in Ireland. I am not against the proposed Act but think it has to be done in a professional way rather than what others I suspect see as a license to grow your own if you have as much as a headache. That kind of thinking will discredit what is a worthy proposal.

Wertz

All good points but this being Ireland, any growing is going to have to be done under artificial energy hungry conditions anyway, so what's the difference between it being centralised or distributed domestically?

That kind of thinking will discredit what is a worthy proposal.

..and you're right, this probably isn't the thread for this, since it's discussing medical strains. I'm afraid some of my views on the whole issue are clouded by my personal perspective on the free use of marijuana.

With that in mind how do you prevent any such campaign being discredited by people who would claim that this is just the thin end of the wedge re: full legalisation?
Like it or not, classification as a medicine would mean that ALL cannabis would have to be treated as medicinal by the law and penalties for posession would need to change considerably...given that all narcotics fall under the one banner of legislation here, that might be a difficulty...
Or do you just prosecute someone who has no prescription?

Corsendonk

Central is more energy efficient, you can recircle the heating in your system in a loop plus the newer glasshouses designs are higher roofed to hold a steady constant growing temperature. You will be soucing your energy as a large energy consumer so should be able to get a discount or you could have your own renewable source of energy on site. The greenhouses are atmosphere controlled with dial in computer system. Its really like a huge factory unit now with specialised harvesting equipment and growing programmes in place for constant supply. Not many peoples imagine of a green house at the bottom of the garden. We grow tomatoes in Ireland from Jan-Nov that way but the higher price for medicinal cannabis should ensure its viable 12 months of the year.

windowgobo

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

I read he jumped out less than 15 minutes after eating the mushrooms. So he wasn't even tripping.

moreover having talked to a family member, he was also very depressed.

Drumpot

My mother suffers from MS and chronic back pain. She has tried this stuff before and found great relief.

I just dont get the hypocrisy of it all. I would hazzard a decent guess that Alcohol and ciggs cause way more damage then Marijuana.

Has there been anymore progress on this ?

bedrock#1

Marijuana can be grown in greenhouses in Ireland according to the normal seasonal cycle. It starts to flower in around September and can be harvested near the end of October / beginning of November. It is after all just a weed and is a particularly hardy plant.

Certain breeds such as 'Swiss Mist' have been developed for colder climates. As for predicting the strength of the crop it is dependent on the conditions and the nutrients given to the plant. So probably the only prediction would be that based on 'ideal' conditions etc.

As another poster says it is a human rights issue not a legal issue. I refer to Ronald Dworkin's two principals of human dignity. The general gist of it being that no one has the right to force upon you a particular conception of the world and is based on the second principal which is The Principal of Human Dignity - that everyone 'has a special responsibility for realizing the success of his/her own life, a responsibility that includes exercising his/her judgement about what kind of life would be successful for them' - which includes the substances that they wish to introduce into their body.