Free up access to medicinal cannabis, say campaigners

THE current compassionate access programme and licensing system in Ireland for medicinal cannabis is too restrictive, campaigners have claimed.

People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny said his Bill to make it more available is being held up.

He was speaking as Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK yesterday allowed for medicinal cannabis to be prescribed by a specialist for a limited number of conditions.

The Department of Health said 12 people in the Republic are being allowed cannabis for medicinal use.

Pending the full operation of its access programme, doctors are using a ministerial licensing route to prescribe medical cannabis for their patients, said a spokeswoman for the department.

Most of the individual patients who have been granted licences are obtaining their medical cannabis from a Dutch pharmacy on foot of their medical prescription. Officials are working on finding solutions to the supply of products.