HARRIS: LET’S GROW POT
Minister wants home-grown production of medicinal marijuana
HEALTH Minister Simon Harris said he wants Irish farmers to grow cannabis when it becomes legal for medicine.
In an upcoming RTE show he said: “It could be an opportunity for farmers. Securing our own supply is the sensible thing to do.”
HEALTH Minister Simon Harris said he would like to see farmers growing cannabis crops as the legislation of medicinal marijuana draws closer.
While food production from Ireland is recognised around the world, horticulturalists could soon also be harvesting the plant.
Mr Harris revealed he hopes to pass legislation clearing the drug for medicinal use as early as next year.
He told Ear To The Ground he would like to see a homegrown crop of medical marijuana in the future.
RTE’S flagship farming series examined how the plant could be grown in this counrty if it is given the green light by the Government.
Mr Harris said: “This is not about the recreational use and people smoking joints. This is about using in a controlled way, in a monitored way, with the support of your clinician, a product that could ease your pain and suffering after you’ve tried all the conventional treatments.
“This is a major priority for me and I really want to see this happen in 2019.
“I think it could be an opportunity for Irish farmers in due course.
“Does it make sense to grow your own in Ireland rather than be dependent on importing a product? I think quite frankly it does.”
However, he said the Government would be looking to import the product in the short term. He added: “You can’t obviously do that overnight. There is quite a lead-in time and there are patients who need this product as soon as possible.
“What we’re likely to do in the first course of action is to try and secure a product.
“Then in the medium terms talking about growing our own and securing our own supply in Ireland is the sensible thing to do.”
The show’s presenter Darragh Mccullough visited a cannabis farm in Phoenix, Arizona, to see how the crop is managed. The drug was legalised there in 2010 but it is very tightly controlled and is only available on prescription. The facility extends over 15,000 sq ft and horticulturists tend its tens of thousands of plants. Proprietor Lilach Power said they have a wide variety of patients using the product. She added: “We see everything from the 21-year-old to the 90-year-old, who comes with the grandkids because she is not moving as much to the 40-year-old who wants to sleep better.” Ms Power believes pharmaceutical farming could be successful in Ireland. She said: “I think Ireland needs to put [up] some greenhouses and they’ll be just fine.” Ear To The Ground is on RTE One on Thursday at 8.30pm.
This is a major priority for me and I want to see this happen
MINISTER HARRIS ON CANNABIS PRODUCTION