SNP members vote to back cannabis for medicinal use
BY ANDREW WHITAKER
CANNABIS use for medical purposes has been overwhelmingly backed at the SNP’s annual conference. During a highly-charged debate in Glasgow yesterday delegates called on the UK Government to devolve powers to Holyrood to allow it to introduce the reform.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferer Laura Brennan-Whitefield said the party had to show “compassion and common sense” by supporting the medicinal use of cannabis to alleviate the suffering of those with chronic conditions.
In an emotional plea she said that those suffering chronic pain and long-term degenerative diseases should not be “criminalised for trying to ease that pain”.
She continued: “I’m not advocating the smoking of cannabis, what I’m advocating is a progressive and reasonable, compassionate society where you can access pain relief.”
Brennan-Whitefield added: “I have been living with multiple sclerosis for nine years and the fact that I’m standing here giving this speech means I am one of the lucky ones.
“It has become very clear to me over these last nine years that many people living with MS have been using cannabis to help with the symptoms of that condition, in fact it’s one of the worstkept secrets at the hospital. All of these people risk a criminal record, unlike in Australia, Chile, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Romania and some US states.
“We, as a developed Western nation, are fast becoming behind the times – we are the odd ones out.”
Currently cannabis is a class B drug, with people facing up to five years in jail for possessing it, or up to 14 years in prison for being involved in its supply or production.
However, Brennan-Whitefield, said: “I don’t think someone who is in pain should be criminalised for trying to ease that pain. I am talking about the medical use only of cannabis, and it’s that medical use that is wider than just MS – arthritis, cancer, Crohn’s disease,
Wepilepsy, palliative care, have all been shown to benefit from cannabis medication.”
She continued: “I know what it is to suffer pain and be in no doubt if it came to it I would not hesitate to ease that pain any way I could – that is a natural instinct.
“I think now is the time to show we are the party of compassion and common sense, and it is now that we should be sending out a message to those people in pain that we hear you, and we are not shying away from this issue as Westminster has.
“Let’s lead with our hearts and with our minds by demanding the devolution of power to allow us to address issue.”this HILE the resolution was backed by the majority of delegates, it was opposed by Renfrewshire councillor Audrey Doig, who was booed by some delegates after she claimed some patients would use cannabis as a “quick fix”. She described how her cousin had started using cannabis to relieve pain before moving on to harder drugs.
She said: “Nowadays people are looking for quick fixes as far as pain is concerned, and they look for quick fixes when the pain medication doesn’t work and they go on to stronger pain killers. I’m afraid this would happen with this particular medication.
“How do I know this? I had a cousin who died a number of years ago in Canada. He started taking cannabis because he was having pain when he was playing ice hockey and his mates in ice hockey did the same. Unfortunately, my cousin had an addictive personality and when the pain wasn’t relieved by taking cannabis he went on to taking stronger drugs.”
She added: “There are alternatives to pain medication, a lot of doctors are prescribing a fitness regime for getting you fit in all different ways. That is the way to go, stop all these pain medications, go to fitness regimes, the doctors are trying it out now and it’s working, it’s working for heart patients, it’s working for angina and it’s working for MS patients too.”
I don’t think someone who is in pain should be criminalised for trying to ease that pain. I am talking about the medical use of cannabis