Ireland Takes Strides to Legalizing Medical Cannabis
On Thursday Ireland took another major step towards legalizing medical cannabis when the minority government stated it would not block the first reading of a cannabis bill that has been backed by all of the other political parties.
The historically conservative country’s move to legalize cannabis for medical use comes on the heels of Ireland becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage last year.
Health Minister Simon Harris, who does not have the ability to outright block the bill, asserted that he would instead seek to amend the bill after it was passed. He said this will also give him time to conduct additional scientific research on cannabis. If passed, Ireland would join Italy, the Czech Republic and Australia in loosening their cannabis laws in regard to medical use.
“While there are elements I do not and will not support, I don’t wish to divide the Dail (parliament),” Harris said in a statement, adding he had made clear he wanted to see policy in this area reviewed. “I share the concerns of patients who believe that cannabis should be a treatment option for certain medical conditions and I recognize the urgency and worry they feel.”
Harris specifically pointed out that he would like to remove references from the bill that might open the door for anyone to possess cannabis for recreational purposes. A prospect that Gino Kenny, from the People Before Profit Alliance, said his group would expect.
“It’s been overwhelming, not only in the Dail, but to see the people who have contacted us and who are trying to access medical cannabis for themselves or their children,” Kenny recently stated.
