Medicinal Cannabis to be legalized in the next year.

JoeyDoh

THE legal use of cannabis in medicines is to be introduced next year.

The Irish Independent has learned that the Department of Health is bringing in legislation to legalise medicinal cannabis.

The move follows applications from drugs companies to sell cannabis-based medicines in Ireland.

However, a spokesperson for the department stressed that the change would not apply to recreational use of the drug.

Many countries allow medicinal cannabis for the treatment of illnesses such as multiple sclerosis.

Irish law rules out even medicinal cannabis, except for research, but the Government has taken a different approach from the previous administration, when former health minister Mary Harney was reluctant to loosen controls.

Recently resigned junior health minister Roisin Shortall said last year she was examining proposals to make cannabis-based medicines available.

That is now proceeding, with the Irish Medicines Board having received a request from a manufacturer looking for permission to sell medicines containing the drug.

The Department of Health spokesperson said legislation would be brought forward early next year to facilitate this.

Under the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis or cannabis-based medicinal products is unlawful except for the purposes of research.

But this will change to allow some medicinal products.

It will most likely involve finding a way of describing or labelling authorised products to make them legal.

The manufacturer seeking permission wants to sell a product "for the relief of symptoms of spasticity for people with multiple sclerosis".

Spasticity is also known as unusual tightness or stiffness of muscles, and can interfere with movement and speech.

The department spokesperson said: "Clinical trials in Ireland relating to this cannabis-based product will not be required.

"Department officials have been engaging with experts on how best to legally describe authorised cannabis-based medicinal products while maintaining existing controls on cannabis and cannabis substances to enable such authorised medicinal products to be prescribed in Ireland.

"While it is not possible to set out an exact timeframe, it is hoped to bring forward legislative proposals in early 2013."

According to departmental briefing documents prepared for Health Minister James Reilly when he took up office last year, officials were looking at plans to allow travellers from other EU states to legally bring cannabis products prescribed for medical use into Ireland.

Under the Schengen Agreement, which covers movement between member states, people can carry narcotic or psychotropic drugs that have been prescribed for medical use.

This is interesting, it's a more liberal move than what I would have expected from us, but one that is the right choice. It's been proven time and time again that cannabis can relieve pain and suffering for people with various illnesses such as MS and cancer.

upstairs for coffee

Surprised the god fearing anti-abortionists are letting this happen without a complain :rolleyes:

Good and for once, progressive move by an Irish body.

Tonto86

From the point of view of someone that doesn't smoke weed, this is a brilliant idea, it's a start to pulling Ireland into the 21st century.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

JoeyDoh wrote: »

This is interesting, it's a more liberal move than what I would have expected from us, but one that is the right choice. It's been proven time and time again that cannabis can relieve pain and suffering for people with various illnesses such as MS and cancer.

About bloody time. Still havent heard a half0decent argument as to why someone would want to stop a drug that alleviates suffering from being consumed.

Gaynna

So Mary Harney was the one who was against introducing medicinal cannabis as a treatment for illnesses; a morbidly obese woman has the audacity to dictate what we can or cannot consume on the basis of our health? How ironic. Good riddance to her anyway, couldn't stand the look of anymore.

BrianHenryIE

Saturday, September 11, 2010
THE legalisation of cannabis moved a step closer to reality this week after Health Minister Mary Harney announced she is open to making cannabis legal for medicinal purposes in Ireland.
This comes after Drugs Minister Pat Carey met with pro-cannabis campaigners and pledged his support for a piece of legislation to have cannabis legalised for medical use.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/no-longer-criminals-for-medicating-themselves-130567.html

Rented Mule

Amazing what happens when the government can't afford drugs from the Big Pharmaceuticals. They find it in themselves to actually go with something that patients can grow themselves.

I'll be very interested to see what else comes out of the economically challenged times.

Gaynna

upstairs for coffee wrote: »

Surprised the god fearing anti-abortionists are letting this happen without a complain :rolleyes:

Good and for once, progressive move by an Irish body.

I agree. It's not as if patients are going to be lighting up joints in hospital wards and hotboxing the gaff out of it. It's just extracts from the plant that can be sprayed on your tongue etc...

It will be a while before this auld Catholic country allows sticky green buds to be handed to patients.

Kylo Ren

You're still not going to be able to buy bud. They are legislisng medicine made from it.

Gaynna

brian.henry wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/no-longer-criminals-for-medicating-themselves-130567.html

Ah right. She changed her mind.

Gaynna

Keno 92 wrote: »

You're still not going to be able to buy bud. They are legislisng medicine made from it.

I never said they were.

GiftofGab

Alot of people will take advantage of this. Half of these 'medical users' won't need it at all.

Kylo Ren

Gaynna wrote: »

I never said they were.

I wasn't talking to you.

Gaynna

Keno 92 wrote: »

I wasn't talking to you.

Oh, okay. I mentioned buds and then you mentions buds as well in the post below mine. I apologize for the miscommunication.

Anyway, legalizing cannabis is fine also as they're not driving and roaming around the streets of cities. Build a seaside resort for them somewhere along the east coast and let them smoke away, just as long as they don't ask for free health care too.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

GiftofGab wrote: »

Alot of people will take advantage of this. Half of these 'medical users' won't need it at all.

Who gives a ****? I hope you're not using this as an argument for not allowing the use of medical cannabis.

Gaynna wrote: »

Anyway, legalizing cannabis is fine also as they're not driving and roaming around the streets of cities. Build a seaside resort for them somewhere along the east coast and let them smoke away, just as long as they don't ask for free health care too.

I think you'll find health care is generally free in this country. On a basic level, anyway.

A step in a positive direction, if this alleviates the suffering of some terminally ill people it will be worth it. Now lets get actual medicinal bud into the pharmacies while the Joe Duffy infantry are distracted with the Abortion shít-storm and the brewing 'Assisted Suicide' debate which will inevitably have them up in arms during the poignant Marie Fleming case over the next 2 weeks.

For too long now the government elected by us have been setting unreasonable parameters for our own personal lifestyle choices. Will we see full cannabis legislation and regulation in this country in the next 20 years? I don't think so, and at this stage I'm past the point of caring. But if some of the many medicinal benefits of this wonder-plant can be derived from it, squashed into a pill and dished out to suffering patients then it is at the very least progress.

'Up with this sort of thing.'

marcsignal

I'm In

Chuck Stone

GiftofGab wrote: »

Alot of people will take advantage of this. Half of these 'medical users' won't need it at all.

So?

It shouldn't be illegal in the first place.

chris2008x

I support legalization for medicinal purposes my only worry would be administering it medically, we don't want it ending up been sold on the streets like Xanax. Maybe only a senior doctors/consultants/specialist in the HSE could only prescribe it. I would be concerned about the link between Cannabis abuse and psychosis. It will need further research and will have to be trialed despite the Department of Health saying it wouldn't.

chris2008x

BTW NOT TRYING TO SHOOT DOWN THE IDEA JUST DON'T WANT THE STATE PAYING FOR SOME SKANGERS STOCK OF PILLS WHICH HE WILL SELL ON STREET CORNERS

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

chris2008x wrote: »

BTW NOT TRYING TO SHOOT DOWN THE IDEA JUST DON'T WANT THE STATE PAYING FOR SOME SKANGERS STOCK OF PILLS WHICH HE WILL SELL ON STREET CORNERS

Again, as long as this is not being used as a con argument.

Duff Man Jr.

Thread title is misleading, article refers to cannabis based products.
If I grow a 100% natural plant for myself, which has never killed anyone, I go to jail. But a huge company which makes a billion profit each year and is part of an industry which kills 20000 in the US each year, can grow a forest of cannabis, process it and mark it up 1000 times, wtf?
A step in the right direction but not enough.

Edit: they are talking about sativex, it's a spray and you cant get stoned off it. And by all reports medicinally it's not as effective as the natural stuff.

Suceed

Duff Man Jr. wrote: »

.

Edit: they are talking about sativex, it's a spray and you cant get stoned off it. And by all reports medicinally it's not as effective as the natural stuff.

And people have died using it.

But the point is it's patentable, so pharmaceutical companies can profit from it.

partyatmygaff

Suceed wrote: »

And people have died using it.

One person, not people. That and it was an idiosyncratic reaction that more than likely have occurred with the raw extract anyway.

partyatmygaff

GiftofGab wrote: »

Alot of people will take advantage of this. Half of these 'medical users' won't need it at all.

How exactly is someone going to fake having multiple sclerosis? Sativex is indicated for MS.

I don't see the big deal. It's not a stepping stone towards legal recreational use. Heroin and other strong opiates are indicated for even more conditions yet oddly enough It's not and probably won't ever be legalised as a recreational drug.

Suceed

partyatmygaff wrote: »

One person, not people. That and it was an idiosyncratic reaction that more than likely have occurred with the raw extract anyway.

Marinol I was thinking of, which has killed more.

loveisdivine

I'd love to see all medicinal cannabis legalised. I suffer from very bad aura migraines and I have some friends over the pond hat suffer too, they have been prescribed medicinal cannabis and its one of the very few things that actually helps. It makes them able to function normally through the pain and visual disturbances of an aura.

I know its nothing as serious as MS. But trust me, if you had to deal with an aura migraine that lasts days. You would want anything possible to help stop it.

saiint

loveisdivine wrote: »

I'd love to see all medicinal cannabis legalised. I suffer from very bad aura migraines and I have some friends over the pond hat suffer too, they have been prescribed medicinal cannabis and its one of the very few things that actually helps. It makes them able to function normally through the pain and visual disturbances of an aura.

I know its nothing as serious as MS. But trust me, if you had to deal with an aura migraine that lasts days. You would want anything possible to help stop it.

ya i have what ever he said now giv mehhh sum weeeeeeeeeed

xsizo

Tbh I don't think this will pass. They said it several times ago and with nothing done. In the last election, the one that took part on YouTube, all of them denied the idea of legalizing the medical use of cannabis. It's just a false hope from my point of view.

Even if it passes, u will never ever get close to it unless u got a serious issue like ms. It need time for the docs to adapt to it. S don't get all happy.

That's just my point of view as a Turkish student in Dublin.

I would consider alcohol more dangerous than cannabis.

It should have never been illegal.

SafeSurfer

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

About bloody time. Still havent heard a half0decent argument as to why someone would want to stop a drug that alleviates suffering from being consumed.

Its the same story really. A private company will be allowed to grow it and sell it to those in pain for profit but a private individual wont be allowed to grow it and consume it for pain relief.

CreepingDeath

There's a great SouthPark episode on one of the fathers trying to get a prescription for medicinal cannibis by giving himself testicular cancer.
He bounces down the road on balls the size of space hoppers !

byhookorbycrook

*Sigh* This was already discussed. It is Savitex, made from cannabis, not actual cannabis. It will have some of the properties removed so you won't get high on it and it is only for MS.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

*Sigh* This was already discussed. It is Savitex, made from cannabis, not actual cannabis. It will have some of the properties removed so you won't get high on it and it is only for MS.

Begs the question as to why it hasn't been legalised sooner.

ScumLord

Keno 92 wrote: »

You're still not going to be able to buy bud. They are legalising medicine made from it.

We're beginning to see the states in the US that legalised medical use now beginning to legalise all cannabis use.

GiftofGab wrote: »

Alot of people will take advantage of this. Half of these 'medical users' won't need it at all.

They're not legalising cannabis though just cannabis based products. If the products don't work we may see the next step in legalising more natural version like pure cannabis oil.

Duff Man Jr. wrote: »

Edit: they are talking about sativex, it's a spray and you cant get stoned off it. And by all reports medicinally it's not as effective as the natural stuff.

Didn't someone on here say you could get stoned off it.

Drakares

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

I think you'll find health care is generally free in this country. On a basic level, anyway.

I take it you're just talking about those who are signed on.

It costs €60 to visit a normal GP and upwards of €250 to visit any kind of specialist if you're working.

Ireland has probably the most expensive costs for doctor visits in Europe. (Germany = 10 per 3 months excl. Tax. | France = Free | Finland, Sweden, Norway = Free)

Not sure about the rest but I'd be willing to bet on it.

Miprocin

Each dosage of Sativex contains of 2.7 mg THC and 2.5 mg CBD. Of course it would get you high, though I can't see it being as appealing as having a smoke.

aquaman

Duff Man Jr. wrote: »

Thread title is misleading, article refers to cannabis based products.
If I grow a 100% natural plant for myself, which has never killed anyone, I go to jail. But a huge company which makes a billion profit each year and is part of an industry which kills 20000 in the US each year, can grow a forest of cannabis, process it and mark it up 1000 times, wtf?
A step in the right direction but not enough.

Edit: they are talking about sativex, it's a spray and you cant get stoned off it. And by all reports medicinally it's not as effective as the natural stuff.

This is so true. It's how the world and especially our little country works.
Logic and reason go out the window. Sensible, intelligent people have been trying to point out for a long time now the valid reasons for medicinal or general legalisation of cannabis. They are generally labeled "stoners" or radical and laughed out of debate as if proposing something unthinkable..

However, when the men in suits from the multinationals roll in, all of a sudden it's is a suggestion worth considering..
Profit.. The only thing that motivates our lawmakers..

lounakin

I've got family in L.A. Both have a prescription and there's nothing wrong with them. It is pitifully easy to get a prescription. I'm totally for the legalisation but I laugh at the hypocrisy of it all... calling it medical is ridiculous. They either have to be way stricter about it or call it what it is: legalising it.

ScumLord

lounakin wrote: »

I've got family in L.A. Both have a prescription and there's nothing wrong with them. It is pitifully easy to get a prescription. I'm totally for the legalisation but I laugh at the hypocrisy of it all... calling it medical is ridiculous. They either have to be way stricter about it or call it what it is: legalising it.

While the set up in the US states is a bit of a joke from a medical point of view it's better that the majority abuse the system at little cost so that the few that genuinely need it can get access.

It's not the same as people having free and easy access to prescription pain killers for example. Doctors both here and there are far to willing to hand out prescriptions for those dangerous meds too.

karma_

lounakin wrote: »

I've got family in L.A. Both have a prescription and there's nothing wrong with them. It is pitifully easy to get a prescription. I'm totally for the legalisation but I laugh at the hypocrisy of it all... calling it medical is ridiculous. They either have to be way stricter about it or call it what it is: legalising it.

We've had stricter, it was called criminalisation. Let's legalise it it all its forms and stop trying to dictate what people do in their free time.

philologos

JoeyDoh wrote: »

This is interesting, it's a more liberal move than what I would have expected from us, but one that is the right choice. It's been proven time and time again that cannabis can relieve pain and suffering for people with various illnesses such as MS and cancer.

It's obvious that medicinal cannabis distributed in a controlled manner by a doctor in cases where it is actually needed should be legal. Doctors who abuse this should be subject to disciplinary procedures as if you wrongly prescribed other medicine.

Chuck Stone

It's obvious that peaceful people should not be violated and stigmatised as a criminal for choosing to smoke marijuana.

ScumLord

philologos wrote: »

It's obvious that medicinal cannabis distributed in a controlled manner by a doctor in cases where it is actually needed should be legal. Doctors who abuse this should be subject to disciplinary procedures as if you wrongly prescribed other medicine.

It seems next to impossible to stop them prescribing meds when patients demand them though. It's happening now with painkillers, it's happening now with antibiotics.

If anything I'd like to see them concentrate punishment on doctors that prescribe antibiotics when they're not needed. While painkiller abuse can negatively affect a persons life and the same could be argued for cannabis to a lesser extent antibiotic abuse is going to affect every person on the planet sooner or later.

Rezident

upstairs for coffee wrote: »

Surprised the god fearing anti-abortionists are letting this happen without a complain :rolleyes:
.

Do you really think every God-fearing anti-abortionist is against weed? Open your mind further. If weed isn't working for you, you mind need to try something more extreme and expansive, like acid for example.

Re OP, this was only a matter of time in any advanced society. Also pleasantly surprised Ireland is getting there already.

philologos

ScumLord wrote: »

It seems next to impossible to stop them prescribing meds when patients demand them though. It's happening now with painkillers, it's happening now with antibiotics.

If anything I'd like to see them concentrate punishment on doctors that prescribe antibiotics when they're not needed. While painkiller abuse can negatively affect a persons life and the same could be argued for cannabis to a lesser extent antibiotic abuse is going to affect every person on the planet sooner or later.

Of course you can. Subject them to the sane procedure as if you prescribe other medication that would be dangerous or inappropriate to prescribe. It can be regarded as negligence to prescribe the wrong medication particularly if you know intentionally that it is wrong.

Whisko

Let the pharma companies get richer selling something that grow in the ground for free. A medicinal user smoking cannabis will remain illegal, the only legitimate way to take cannabis will be the pharmacy supplied Sativex.

Sativex is a backwards step.

tdv123

Whisko wrote: »

Let the pharma companies get richer selling something that grow in the ground for free. A medicinal user smoking cannabis will remain illegal, the only legitimate way to take cannabis will be the pharmacy supplied Sativex.

Sativex is a backwards step.

The Opium Poppy also grows in the ground for free. Maybe we should have no control of what people can "grow in the ground" altogether.

Haelium

tdv123 wrote: »

The Opium Poppy also grows in the ground for free. Maybe we should have no control of what people can "grow in the ground" altogether.

The poppy is not illegal to grow, are you saying we should treat cannabis the same way?

Anyway, could you provide a legitimate reason for why opium should be illegal? How does it effect anybody but the person taking opium?

tdv123

Haelium wrote: »

The poppy is not illegal to grow, are you saying we should treat cannabis the same way?

Anyway, could you provide a legitimate reason for why opium should be illegal? How does it effect anybody but the person taking opium?

I know it's not illegal they used to grow in my back garden.

Well it's not totally illegal at the moment, you can get very strong Opiates prescribed for medicinal reasons.

Well it doesn't directly effect anybody, it can have adverse effects on society however.

partyatmygaff

aquaman wrote: »

However, when the men in suits from the multinationals roll in, all of a sudden it's is a suggestion worth considering..
Profit.. The only thing that motivates our lawmakers..

Profit? Not to be rude but do you know what you're talking about?

How is allowing for an expensive drug indicated for treating MS going to mean profit for the state? MS is on the LTI scheme too so the government will pay in full for for every single Sativex prescription.