MEDICINAL CANNABIS

Early day motion 363, tabled 28 October 1997 by Paul Flynn (Labour). Signed by 35 members.

That this House congratulates the newspaper Disability Now for its survey of the use of medicinal cannabis by people with disabilities; notes that in the sample 97 per cent were in favour of decriminalising medicinal cannabis and 67 per cent had used cannabis for pain relief; recalls that cannabis has been used medicinally in all continents for thousands of years and was prescribed in the United Kingdom until 1971 without problems; and urges the Government to respond swiftly and positively to the evidence of the proven advantages of cannabis for treating multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, cerebral palsy and the effects of chemotherapy, and to provide cannabis in forms that can be taken without smoking in order to end the dependence of thousands of sick and disabled people on the criminal drug market.

Signatures by party: Labour 27, Liberal Democrat 7, Conservative 1.