CANNABIS LEGALISE THIS SAFE DRUG, SAYS BMA

THE publication on Tuesday of the BMA's report The Therapeutic Uses of
Cannabis will kill off the last arguments against the decriminalisation of
the drug for medical use, write Benjamin Mee and Graham Ball.

The 80page review concludes that "present evidence indicates that they are
remarkably safe drugs, with a sideeffects profile superior to many drugs
used for the same indications". The report, which strikes a remarkably
upbeat tone, is the work of the Board of Science and Education, a committee
which includes the BMA's president, Sir Donald Acheson among its members.
By tradition a recommendation from this august source usually springboards
a drug into acceptance. "If these people find something acceptable as a
medicine, it is acceptable," said one observer.

The BMA will urge the Government to "consider changing the Misuse of Drugs
Act to allow the prescription of cannabinoids [active chemical compounds in
cannabis] to patients with certain conditions causing distress that are not
adequately controlled by existing treatments".

The report announces the establishment of a cannabis research group to be
chaired by Dr Roger Pertwee of the University of Aberdeen, who has been
exploring the chemical properties of cannabis for more than 20 years. The
BMA is calling for this and other interested groups to work with the
Department of Health to conduct proper clinical trials.

It recommends that "while research is under way, the police, the courts and
other prosecuting authorities should be made aware of the medicinal reasons
for the unlawful use of cannabis by those suffering from certain medical
conditions for whom other drugs have proved ineffective".

While some antidrugs use campaigners fear this could be the start of
creeping decriminalisation, others believe it could place further strain on
magistrates and the police. "This proposal could create legal nightmares,"
said Matthew Atha of the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit. "The problems
will come when people who use cannabis for justifiable medical reasons, but
who do not want to mix with drug dealers to get their supply, are penalised
for supplying their own cannabis," said Mr Atha.

Greg Poulter, deputy director of Release, fears this proposal could send a
confusing message to the young. "If we are to say that it is not a criminal
offence to use cannabis if you are unwell some young people may think there
no real penalties," he said.

The BMA say that cannabis in its raw form is not suitable for medicinal
use, and recommends instead the development of new medicines which
duplicate the beneficial therapeutic effects of the cannabinoid compounds
in cannabis.