BMA REJECTS LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS

Cannabis Can Have Some Beneficial Effects

A call for cannabis to be legalised for medical use has been narrowly
rejected by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Representatives at the annual BMA conference in Belfast also threw out a
motion calling for the drug to be decriminalised for recreational use - by
a huge majority.

The motion on medical use, tabled by the Scottish Regional Public Health
Committee, failed by just nine votes after a heated debate on the benefits
of the drug.

Last year, the conference voted for trials into the possible medicinal
benefits of cannabis.

These are set to begin in October. Some patients suffering from conditions
such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis have said the drug has relieved
their pain.

'Blanket Prohibition'

Dr Stephen Kisely, who proposed the motion, said: "We are not proposing
that the corner shop should be able to sell marijuana to anyone who comes
through the door, but neither are we promoting the blanket prohibition
which is in place at the moment.

"The legal effects of cannabis are far worse than the medical and
psychological effects.

"People who are prosecuted for possession of cannabis may have their
livelihoods destroyed for the use of a compound which has less adverse
consequences than alcohol and tobacco.

"The BMA should stand up and act to help its patients. Making them
criminals does not help them."

But Dr Joan Richards said trials on the medical benefits should be
conducted before the BMA made calls for legalisation.

"We do not know enough about the possible benefits yet. We should wait for
the evidence," she said.

'Chaos' Warning

Dr Frank Wells added: "I have spent a lifetime combatting the tobacco
industry. I have also seen the effects of alcohol.

"If we pass a motion like this we are going to cause chaos."

Dr Vasco Fernandes, a public health doctor in Oxford, said cannabis was a
"gateway drug".

"The reason why much of the youth of today use cannabis is because it's
illegal - it's a risk thing.

"Legalise cannabis and you will move them onto harder drugs, especially
heroin."

Edward Tierney, a GP in Rochdale, said voting for the decriminalisation of
cannabis for recreational use would send out a confusing message to the
public.

He said it would conflict with an earlier motion calling for a ban on
smoking in public places.

"We know cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug, we know that
it is usually smoked in a joint," he said.

"What in the name of God are we doing? Last year we voted for more
scientific research and now we're asking for recreational use? We must be
mad."

Chairman of the BMA Dr Ian Bogle said: "I think we should reject this motion.

"We have spent many years discussing how to get the public off cigarettes.
We do not want to spend the next 20 years talking about how to get the
public off cannabis."

Last year, the House of Lords science and technology committee backed the
use of cannabinoids - chemicals in cannabis - for medicinal purposes.