Patients welcome medical cannabis debate in Senedd
CANNABIS needs to be made available on prescription for people with chronic conditions to help ease their pain and stop them being criminalised, patients claim.
A debate on cannabis being used for medicinal purposes took place in the Senedd yesterday after a motion was tabled by a cross-party group of AMs.
They say the clinical and anecdotal evidence on its benefits for patients is “compelling” and have called for the NHS in Wales to make it available via prescription.
But at present Wales does not have the legislative powers to make such a decision, so AMs tabled a motion to exert pressure on the UK Government to reschedule cannabis from Schedule One to Schedule Two, which would recognise the medicinal value of the drug.
In response, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said advocating the use of herbal cannabis – a “raw and illegal” drug – would undermine the evidence-based approach to approving medicines.
However, the motion was successful and passed with 31 voting in favour, 18 abstaining, and two voting against.
Patients with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dystonia and cancer have championed the use of cannabis, but say they live in fear of being prosecuted for trying to access cannabis illegally.
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, one of the AMs to table the motion, said: “Previously the Welsh Government said that ‘whilst the legal classification and licensing of medicines are not a devolved matter, where agents are licensed for medicinal use and there is clinical evidence of their effectiveness we will take positive action.’ The clinical and anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis for medicinal use is compelling.
“People living who use cannabis to alleviate the symptoms associated with their conditions cannot wait until Wales has the legislative competence to legalise cannabis for medicinal use.
“We need the Welsh Government to take positive action and ask the UK Government to reschedule cannabis and, in preparation for this, the NHS in Wales should develop a system whereby cannabis could be made available via a prescription to all those who could benefit.”
Grandmother Sue Cox, from Cwmbran, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in January 2014 after experiencing problems with her balance for more than six years. The former manager of Holland & Barrett now uses a cane to help her walk and suffers with chronic spasms in her back and legs.
Despite taking a range of prescribed medicines, including morphine in the recent past, the 65-year-old said cannabis has benefited her the most.
Sue, who prefers to smoke her cannabis and occasionally enjoys it “sprinkled on her cheese on toast”, said: “Cannabis helps to relax me, which in turn relaxes my muscles and cuts down the amount of spasms I have each day.
“I feel better within myself when I take it. Does cannabis help cheer me up? Of course it does.”
Sue said her multiple sclerosis was progressive, often left her in excruciating pain, and stopped her sleeping properly.
She has had to reduce the amount of gardening she does due to her condition – and even struggles to hug members of her own family because of her spasms.
“I have to wake up every day and fight the depression because I know I have something that will never get any better,” she added.
“Some days I am incredibly tired and even the simplest of tasks are difficult. I am faced with having to deal with new symptoms all the time which I know won’t go away.”
She believes simply having an Assembly debate will put pressure on the UK Government to change the status of cannabis so people who truly need it can access it.
“I do feel like a criminal tying to get cannabis but I soon get over it when I remember what life is like without it,” she added.
“I don’t want to go out of my way to break the law. I want cannabis to be given to me on prescription and be among all the other drugs I’m currently taking.”
Yesterday’s motion was tabled by Assembly Members Mark Isherwood (Conservative), Plaid leader Ms Wood, Mike Hedges (Labour) and Rhun Ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru).