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THE GOVERNMENT WILL not oppose the medicinal cannabis bill due before the Dáil tomorrow, ensuring it will be passed.
The bill is being proposed by AAA-PBP TDs Gino Kenny and Richard Boyd Barrett and seeks to regulate the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
It had already garnered support from opposition parties and independent members of government but the decision by the Minister for Health Simon Harris not to block its path means that it will definitely proceed to committee stage.
Announcing the government’s decision, Harris said that he has been “very clear” that he wants policy in the area reviewed.
“I share the concerns of patients who believe that cannabis should be a treatment option for certain medical conditions and I recognise the urgency and worry they feel,” the minister said.
The Oireachtas Health Committee recently heard evidence from the mother of an epilepsy sufferer who spoke about how treatment with cannabis-based products has reduced her daughter’s seizures dramatically.
The minister has now requested that the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) provide him with scientific and clinical research to inform him about possible changes to the legal framework surrounding medicinal cannabis.
The minister has, however, expressed some concerns about several elements contained in the bill:
In particular it includes removing references to cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act which has the effect of making it legal for anyone to possess cannabis, including for recreational purposes.
Harris also questioned the portions of the bills which propose the establishment of two new agencies to regulate medicinal cannabis.
The bill proposes the establishment of a Cannabis Regulation Authority to “regulate the labelling, advertising and marketing of cannabis and cannabis-based products for medicinal use.”
The bill also proposes a Cannabis Research Institute that would, among a number of functions, research the risks and benefits of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use.
The institute would also cultivate cannabis and manufacture cannabis-based medicinal products.
The minister said the HRPA would already been in a position to fulfill the role of the proposed agencies.
Harris said that he met with deputies Kenny and Boyd Barrett yesterday and that they are willing to make amendments to the bill.
The minister also said that the bill could be examined in greater detail in committee stage and as such the government would not “divide the Dáil” in opposing it.
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Regulate.tax.sell. Allow those who use it to pay for whatever health concerns may arise from it,rather than some big balls down in the costa del sol
@Trev heff: the licensing process determined will be informative. Will they make it so onerous or rather expensive that only well-monied cronies and backers of politicians will be able to afford it? I think that certain rights in terms of distribution ownership and control of cannabis derived medicaments may already have been slipped to a crony of Fianna Fail’s. Wonder did they meet him down the Liffey boardwalk in hoodies to do the brown envelope / cannabis rights exchange? No those gangsters all wear suits and meet in Buswells.
A step in the right direction. Hopefully soon enough it will be legal for everyone to buy.
Will be all but, just find the right doctor and give him the right ailment and bobs your uncle
Good thinking Keith
G star. You obviously don’t understand what medicinal cannabis is. It people like you that continue to muddy the waters for people who need MEDICINAL cannabis.
@Paul, I understand what medicinal cannabis is, I understand what regular cannabis is, I’m quite familiar with it. Maybe you should take the stick out of your @r$€ and get familiar with it too
Clever jake. You also miss the point about. Let’s hope the bill passes tomorrow and those in need get help and the ignorant comments here stop.
@Clever Jake: You are changing the topic. I have not referred to the COST of the medicinal cannabis. You have just brought that up now, I guess as a red herring to the discussion here. I am trying to point out to the group discussion here that medicinal cannabis is different than cannabis or cannabis for medicinal use. Its exasperating for people who suffer from illnesses where medicinal cannabis will help them to read the total lack of understanding that 95% of people on this discussion show. Some people do not even understand what the Bill being discussed is about. Look at the comment of Baireid Risteard below. He thinks the UK have not passed the use of medicinal cannabis. These comments are destructive to the movement to get medicinal cannabis legally for people who suffer from chronic pain that it is shown to help. Indeed they are inadvertantly supporting the pharmaceutical industry who would prefer to see its use medicinally kept illegal until they can to a more expensive substitute. They have tried already an failed. Well its nearly thursday. Fingers crossed for those whose sufferering might be eased after the Bill is discussed.
@Paul A Whelan: http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/clegg-calls-for-end-to-absurd-ban-on-medicinal-cannabis-11364112957022 According to this the UK still regard the plant itself as ‘dangerous’ while only legalising two components for medicinal use.
@Keith Mitchell: This is not a joke !!
@Bairéid Rísteard: Yes, your getting the point now. Medicinal cannabis is just those two components. This is all people suffering pain need.You are very confused on the issue.
@Keith Mitchell: Read that as ‘boob’s your uncle
This is great news, medicinal cannabis will offer relief to thousands of people who are suffering from a wide range of serious ailments, MS, Parkinson’s, Cancer, Crohn’s, Epilepsy etc. Well done to Gino Kenny, Richard Boyd Barrett and everyone else involved in making this happen.
@Cannabis Freedom: Trigeminal Neuralgia as well…little known disease but many hundreds of sufferer’s in Ireland
If Minister Harris shares the worry and urgency that people feel, why didn’t he and the Governmwnt bring a bill forward themselves?.
Because the conservative party ffg don’t want to look like they’re caving in on cannabis to keep their conservative supporters happy.
@Clever Jake: Not quite true, but your getting there. Ming messed it up actually by his misunderstanding of what was being discussed. Ming is only ‘good’ when people disagree with him. He has never shown that he can work in agreement with people to get some issue like this solved.
The headline on this should read “Government set to NOT support Bill”….. Which is more accuarate
Wow. Common sense prevailing. Congratulations Gino Kenny and Richard Boyd Barrett. Thank you FG for not opposing this. Can’t believe I’m thanking FG for anything.
“Cannabis Research Institute” As soon as they announce the location for the institute i’ll be applying for planning for a dominos next door.
@Richard Sweeney: be nice to see “cannabis trials” in a context other than people getting done in court for a non-other regarding “crime” and have their lives careers finances and much else go up in smoke. Bet the Institute won’t have any trouble getting volunteers for research purposes.
Well done Ireland with this step forward. Wonder is the regressive UK follow suit? Oh no, they’re too busy with Orwellian surveillance laws.
@Baireid Risteard:WTF has the UK got to do with this?? Little brother syndrome strikes again.Have you suffered from inferiority complex all your life,or is it just the UK you look up to?
@Baireid Risteard;Speaking of surveillance,you’re not too shabby at it yourself! Keeping an eye on the big country beside you it would seem.
@Kieran C:
We’re historically, geographically, culturally and all sorts of allys connected to the UK. I find the people who jump all over the mention of the two in the same sentence carry the heaviest chip.
@Kieran C:
Ahahaha and you’re mad for Celtic and live in London…Couldn’t make it up..
@Charlie Fogarty:Bejasus you’re wrong.Arsenal actually.And as i’ve said on here before,it’s possible to be Irish and not have an inferiority complex as regards Britain, but you wouldn’t believe that when reading some of the narrow-minded comments on here.
@Charlie Fogarty;”Couldn’t make it up”.You just did.The Celtic remark.Bit presumptuous there Charlie.
@Charlie Fogarty; “Couldn’t make it up”. You just did.The Celtic remark.Bit presumptuous there Charlie.
@Charlie:Didn’t mean to post that twice.Not sure what happened.
@Kieran C:
Just the pic and comment in your profile which isn’t something i should try use anyway. You seemed to go a bit hard there Kieran and I tried to calm it down by going harder. I really need to stop picking rows on the internet.
Sure it’s your year wha! Till Christmas anyway ;) Have a good one.
@Charlie Fogarty: No problem Charlie.I respect everyones opinion.It’s all good fun to have different views.Cheers.
@Bairéid Rísteard: Its already legal in the UK and through most of Europe. Ireland is almost the last to take this step.Your comment just shows the level of understanding of what the Bill is about!
Any new law introduced should be named after the child (with her mums permission) who has such acute epilespy seizures and needed cannibis urgently her mum began walking from her home near macroom to Dublin …minester Harris contacted her and asked her to stop.To avoid embarrassing the goverment….of course……fair dues to her we owe her alot for her sheer perseverance , a lucky child to have a mother with such determination…A mother’s love is a beautfull thing
Tiocfaidh ar Plándaí.
Great work from Gino kenny and the boy Barrett. Only a matter of time now and everyone will be able to buy it.
@GCLPhD: Buy what ??? It medical cannibas…read what people re talking about.
@Noel Browne: because it is ridiculous to oppose personal marijuana use in a state that drinks itself to death
As one of those who’ll benefit from this, how much can I get on the medical card
“1 ounce of purple lurple, 2 ounces of fishermen’s friend and a half ounce of Alabama Kush.
Thanks Randy
Proud day
Polishing up the aul CV for a job in the instuite. No medical degree but vastly experienced with in field of cannabis
bad for you they said. criminal they said,,
@Ben Brown:@Ben Brown:
Ha, I hear you pal,
you have nooooooo idea how much.
@Ben Brown:@Ben Brown:
Ha, I hear you pal,
you have nooooooo idea how much.
@Ben Brown:
Ha, I hear you pal.
There will be not shortage of experts to grow it.
We can use some of these shut down garda stations as dispensers
Here’s a wild idea, close down every pub in the country and turn em all into dispensaries, there’d be no loss of revenue, except for maybe putting a load of self interested drinks companies out of business, and instead of a bunch of drunken ejjits stumbling around the place of a Saturday night, causing god knows what kinda damage to themselves and others, you’d have a bunch of chilled out, happy as Larry stoners, plus every takeaway in the country would make a killing!
To think the Dail laughed and jeered at Ming Flanagan whenever he brought this issue to light. Recreation next. This is only half the battle. The next step is ending the drug war thus putting gangsters out of business. Nobody will have to buy street cannabis again.
Excellent news. Anyone know how long it will be before it can be prescribed?
A plug for a company I have no connection to but have recently used their products.
Hempture.ie
Disc issues for too long and the CBD oil has worked a treat.
Any chance you can tell me which product your using. I have the same issues and have been looking at the site but have no clue as to what will help
Any chance you can tell me which product your using, ive been looking at that site for the same reasons but don’t know where to start on what would help
@Charlie Fogarty: can you tell me which product your using I’ve been looking at that site for the same reason but haven’t a clue as to which one would help me. Thanks
@Charlie Fogarty: sorry first time posting didn’t think it sent
@Damo Grogan:
Sorry Damo. I’ve been vaping 3%/300mg in the evenings before bed. My problem is the thoracic region and no matter how I tried sleeping (pillow support, upright, floor at some point) I always woke up in a heap.
Since usig it from the start of November I’m waking up a lot looser and don’t have issues sitting for long periods. I would imagine ingesting does the same but couldn’t attest to it from experience. Worth a gander.
Most of the AAA PBP supporters will now be able to register with ailments and buy it in the chemist. Won’t have to try to decipher Billy’s rubbish for much longer because he’ll be too stoned to see the screen.
@Alan Cooke: Do you have to be a AAA/PBP supporter to think that this is a brilliant decision and a step in the right direction??
@Dave Murray, I think you’re trying too hard to get offended.
Not offended at all pal.
I’m not an aaa or pbp supporter Alan but I’m very impressed with the foresight that they have employed here. Get down off your political high horse and be glad that a wrong is being put right. Be glad for the thousands of suffers whose pain will be relieved. That’s if you are capable of not letting your political persuasions get in the way
True… wait until you here the moaning that they’ll have to part with €70 quid at the Drs office for the script though.
@John Quill:
Ur right john too much of the illegal smoke here on this story. They can’t see the joke for the sense of humour.
Oh god I hope that’s not too confusing for the really stoned like billy!!
Kudos to Gino Kenny and PBP. Delighted to have given him my first preference vote in the last election. Long may he serve….
FG aint stupid, cruelty to sick childeren would have buried them
My nephew passed away from a brain tumour a year ago, aged 35 one of the awful symptoms of this truly awful disease was the seizures he suffered. Medicinal cannabis stopped those seizures in his last few months it alleviated his pain and put a smile on his face giving him a better quality of life and his family more time to enjoy with him while he was still with us. That is priceless and something nobody should be denied.
Cannabis oil will also be life changing for everyone suffering from eczema and psoriasis, safer and costing a fraction of prescription creams !
First step towards a greater future.
Can rick simpson oil be got from a doctor now?
All the stoners should go outside at midnight, light a large doobie and wave them back and forth across the night sky in religious celebration.
Crass, cynical comment, as ever, Frederick.Best you could come up with ?
Why wait til then?
@Frederick Burden: Do you even know what Medical Cannibas is for ?? It’s not for smoking as you seem to think…its called “Medical” for a reason or is that too hard to understand
@Frederick Burden: sounds like a suggestion.
I think that there will be a lot of relaxed and pain free people around! I’m all for it!!!
Nearly every comment here is ill informed. It’s a true scenario of the blind leading the blind.
Ah shtap.
@Paul A Whelan: Agree Paul
@Paul A Whelan:
Nicely backed up there. The great level of understanding and research you’ve put in has us all in awe
Make Ireland Green Again
Finally!
Finally a step in the right direction, It’s a plant, proven far less damaging/ dangerous than alcohol and tobacco, I’m an adult who should be allowed to grow it, smoke it, vape it, bake it in my desert, whatever I want, I don’t deserve to be criminalized for choosing a different recreational drug than you. The war on drugs was and will forever be a failed control strategy. Countries that have legalized it for recreational use are reaping the benefits. Please do your own independent research.
Good.
He’d never taken an illegal drug until he got a brain tumour at 70; marijuana has been a huge help to my dad during his treatment. First in stopping the tumour’s growth, then assisting the radiotherapy in breaking it down and lastlyhelping control pain. My aged mother in the UK has to get it for him by doing deals with drug dealers; you can imagine how traumatic this is for them both.
just back on short trip from amsterdam and people are buying cannibas from shops like sweets, some really classy places in rembrant to buy your stuff and its not only tourists its the local people who are buying it, from young to old all buying it, i was sitting in a resturant and across from my window there was a real classey place selling cannibas from start of my meal to the end around 1hr 30mins, the place was full of people getting a takeways from young to old mostly locals. i think if it helps people with problems in there lives then it should be legal. i think it should be legal and tax it and cut the tax on other stuff like motor tax and other stupid taxes we are paying
Medicinal purposes definitely, should be available to those who it may help, scares me reading the comments that there’s little discussion on effects of mental health and addiction.. Most seem to be looking for instant gratification of smoking a Joint rather than possible long term effects
@Alan Mc Brearty:
It may be absent in the comments here but there is a great deal of published papers specifically on its effects on mental health.
Especially the most insidious of all, depression.
Where ones diet can be greatly reduced or perhaps their enduring endless sleepless nights or dangerously low moods. We all know a victim of suicide.
That’s just off the top of my head pal but in respect to that alone it has outstandingly positive effects.
Espicially in comparison to ‘z’ type drugs and the highly addictive benzo’s the pharma-thugs peddle instead.
The latters biggest risk being addiction, since you bring it up.
There is no conclusive evidence to suggest cannabis is addictive.
What’s unique about that is that the user, be it heavy or light use, neither are at risk of addiction despite vast differences in the amount being taken between them. A stark comparison between the massively destructive class A drugs it’s been associated with, yet shares no common ground.
This is a common misconception and it’s most closely related to the fact that heavy use does in fact reduce the users dopamine response which functions as a neurotransmitter that’s linked to major brain function, most majority to reward based behaviour. To ‘feeling good’
By stimulating it repeatedly with cannabis this ‘wears it down’ so to speak but coming off it leads the user to return to normal in a short period of time. Like anything, be it apples or cannabis, in excess it’s not good for you.
Which is why it’s so important to regulate and harness its exceptional medicinal properties in a controlled way.
A lot of people in very dark, desolate places stand to benifit from this being passed so we all must unite, call a spade a spade and acknowledged this is a good thing.
@Alan Mc Brearty: Possible long term effects? Name one?
Leaving the medical side out of altogether look at the Dutch experience ! I mean the whole population is running around the streets gaga because you CAN actually go to designated cafes and smoke or eat cannabis. I think not !
@Terry Cahill: in fact, cannabis use amongst young Dutch people is lower than the average in other Member States of the EU where it is wholly proscribed by draconian laws. I believe a similar trend is emerging in Spain and Portugal, Czech and so forth. Last time I was in NL (working) I confess I didn’t notice the whole population running around gaga as you allege because of the reasons you allege or any other. Must have missed that would have been entertaining.
Jeez did you think I was serious ? It was the opposite ! A joke ! No better people and not a bother on them . The are one of the most responsible and mature nations in Europe !
@Terry Cahill: Sorry and ha-ha. These comments lack a meta-narrative (tone of voice, expression on face, etc.)
Seriously now guys… where will you buy it after it is legal ? Will the pharmacy fill the doctor’s prescription or what ? Would not want patients having to to go to the dark corner of the street to get the scrip filled !
@Terry Cahill: stand opens to correction but think Fianna Fáil already gave all the rights to manufacture cannabis derived medications to some crony who has a company or trade name “Savitex”???
Thanks be to Almighty God that our country is finally moving with the times…This was way overdue. Any intelligent, sensible, honest Individual, who has done some research knows this to be True.
Will the price for cannabis on the street go up or down with this change? I know lots of people saying different things
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Hazard this is being done now while our Lords and Masters to the West (without whose permission Ireland won’t blow her nose) have a President who’s reasonably cool about such things and before they have one who isn’t, potentially anyway, unless there’s a buck to be made from it. Thinking anew on that perhaps he’ll be very cool with it. Additional tax revenues in the hundreds of billions Mr Trump? No no no Sir calm yourself don’t worry we’re talking about OTHER people pay tax. Talking about a mighty source of new revenue for your administration. A profitable Union of the orange and the green as we might say here.
Will the price for cannabis on the street go up or down with this change? I know a lot of people with different views on it
have your say