What Happened In The House Of Lords About Cannabis?
Today, Baroness Molly Meacher asked a question about cannabis in the House of Lords .
There is a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding about what happened, so I shall do my best to explain.
A video of the eight minute debate is available here. A full transcript is here.
This was not a full debate. There never was any prospect of any law being changed. It was simply a question, which would be answered by the government spokesman and Lady Meacher would then have the opportunity to ask a further, supplementary question. In the process, other members of the House would be able to interject and make their own comments.
The question was whether cannabis could be re-scheduled, out of schedule one, which determines that it has no medicinal value, to schedule two or three which would allow doctors to prescribe it and also enable researchers to access and use cannabis more easily in studies and clinical trials.
The government behaved exactly as expected. The most generous interpretation is that the spokesman, Lord Bates, was misinformed. His first response to Lady Meacher’s question was to parrot the Home Office’s usual line on cannabis about it being a harmful drug.
This of course, is nothing to do with medicinal use. Most medicines are far more harmful than cannabis and any potential harms are traded off against therapeutic benefit.
I know some people are already accusing Lord Bates of being a ‘liar’ but this is not true. He simply has no idea what he is talking about and his briefing from Home Office officials is designed not to inform but to deflect, confuse and retain control within the bureaucracy. The claim that the Advisory Council recommends against medicinal cannabis is factually incorrect. The ACMD is not constituted to advise on the medicinal benefits of any drug.
So ignore what the government said. It is largely irrelevant to the process of informing and changing minds amongst those in power. They will instruct officials and spokespeople as necessary once they understand a more successful path forwards.
The rest of the debate was almost all positive. Lord Dubs succumbed to the ‘skunk’ myth but who can blame him. given the level of propaganda and hysteria promoted even by ‘public service broadcasters’ such as Channel 4 and and some of our so-called eminent ‘scientists’. Lord Howarth of Newport hit the nail on the head and referred to the terrible difficulty of those who need access to Bedrocan. He is a stalwart ally of a few, fortunate CLEAR members whose doctors have had the courage to prescribe.
This mini debate was good news. It was another brick in the wall. Clearly, attitudes are changing and the facts are beginning to overtake the myths. Many Lords and MPs are on our side.
As ever, the way forward is relentless, individual, lobbying and informing. We must keep telling truth to power, challenging misinformation and providing knowledge.
Today, in the House of Lords, progress was made.
Written by Peter Reynolds
June 17, 2015 at 9:10 pm
5 Responses
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I think the whole debate needs expanding. The endless uses and possibilities for the hemp plant in general need to be made more public. The fact that hemp could provide a green energy alternative to oil would be enough to get a few people thinking. And…if it was totally 100% legal and allowed to grow wildly it could make a good interim international currency. Only a thought!
mark keele
June 17, 2015 at 10:02 pm
The government has known all this for many years! But nothing can interfere with the “message! ” that is the most important part of their deception!
stephen brophy
June 18, 2015 at 7:34 am
As to be expected from a corrupt government! Given that they have already sold the rights to G W PHARMACEUTICALS this was always going to be a white wash! Like Boris Johnson all wankers!
stephen brophy
June 18, 2015 at 6:47 am
Reblogged this on roscia2010.
roscia2010
June 18, 2015 at 9:34 am
The cost of policing cannabis possession is already unsustainable. synthetic cannabis will be legal to possess under the bill. no person could distinguish between these unpacketed\loose. possession of cannabis simply now needs to be decriminalised under the nps bill in order for it to work.
Aaron
July 26, 2015 at 12:30 am