Medical Cannabis under Prescription

Debate between John Howell and Michael Fabricant

Monday 20th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[John Howell]

My right hon. Friend makes a valid point. The question is: why have so few—as he says, only two—actually received their medicine? Why has nobody else received them?

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

I have discussed this matter with Helen Stokes-Lampard, the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and she makes the point that there is not training available for GPs to feel confident enough to prescribe this medicine themselves.

[John Howell]

I will come to the point about training in a moment, if my hon. Friend will be patient, but he makes a valid point.

I appreciate that we have to go carefully, in view of the harm that the unrestricted use of cannabis might do, but the number of people who have received their drugs is a mere pinprick on the surface of those who need them. I am not surprised people go abroad to get their drugs, because it is the only source.