Mother’s plea over medical marijuana

THE MOTHER of a severely epileptic boy has called for a meeting with Cabinet Ministers to discuss rethinking “massively outdated” laws on medical marijuana so other children can get treatment.

Charlotte Caldwell also said she wanted them to assure her she would not face “another battle” for 12-year-old Billy when the 20-day supply returned by the Home Office runs out.

The Government’s initial refusal, and then its change in stance, has prompted renewed debate on legislation, with a Conservative MP who leads a drug policy parliamentary group saying existing laws are “frankly absurd”.

After a week-long struggle, Home Secretary Sajid Javid used “an exceptional power” on Saturday to return some of the medicine confiscated from the mother when she tried to bring it into the UK from Canada.

Ms Caldwell, 50, said: “I want nobody in Government, and nobody who has been impacted by massively outdated laws, to be under any impression that this is job done. This is just the start.

“I want to meet the Home Secretary and Health Secretary (Jeremy Hunt), urgently, this week, to get assurance that not only will Billy’s meds never again be removed, but to call for an urgent review of the overall policy on medical cannabis as it affects everyone who could benefit.”

Ms Caldwell, from Northern Ireland, had seven bottles confiscated at Heathrow Airport customs on June 11 after she brought them in from Toronto. The emergency measure allowed for one to be returned and Ms Caldwell reported an improvement in her son’s condition after taking the drug.