BRITISH MPS SHOW SOME SUPPORT FOR CANNABIS BILL

LONDON, - British members of parliament on Wednesday
gave a small boost to campaigners for the legalisation of cannabis by
allowing an MP to introduce a bill making it legal for doctors to
prescribe the drug.

Although the bill has virtually no chance of becoming law, such
parliamentary moves are seen as a useful way of garnering publicity
for contentious issues. It reflects the feeling among some MPs that
Britain lags behind other European nations on the medical use of cannabis.

Labour MP Paul Flynn introduced the bill under a procedure which
allows parliamentarians to test the views of their colleagues on a
topical issue without a vote on the matter.

Flynn pointed out that earlier this week a British pensioner, Eric
Mann, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for growing cannabis to use
to relieve chronic pain. Flynn slammed the government he normally
supports for refusing to change the law to help such people.

"Governments regard it as electorally damaging if they are seen to be
soft on drugs," Flynn said.

"The government is not tough on drugs, they are tough on multiple
sclerosis patients, they are tough on cancer victims, they are tough
on AIDS victims."

In November, the government made it clear it was not prepared to move
on the cannabis issue.

Commenting on a recommendation from a committee of the House of Lords
for doctors to be allowed to prescribe cannabis, Health Minister
George Howarth said a rigorous test procedure on the effects of the
drug should be undertaken first.

"No drug could be marketed or used in this way without first
undergoing proper and rigorous scientific trials," he said. "We have
not got rigorous scientific evidence that gives us absolute confidence
that it is actually beneficial."