Medical Cannabis (Access) Bill

Debate between Sally-Ann Hart and James Daly

Friday 10th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sally-Ann Hart]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments. I retract the statement that “we all know”, but there is a risk that some people may use medicinal cannabis as an excuse for growing cannabis for recreational use.

[James Daly]

My hon. Friend is making a very good speech. I fully accept the points that other hon. Members are making, but when the law was changed in 2018, it was not changed with a proviso that there had to be a certain amount of medical evidence to support the use of non-licensed cannabis treatments. It gave specialist practitioners the right to suggest that those products should be used. The problem a lot of the time, as my hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Elliot Colburn) said, is that the clinical commissioning group—the people with the money—will not financially support such a recommendation. There are two sides to this, but a lot of practitioners do want to make sure that these medications come in and are used to support treatments at the earliest opportunity.

[Sally-Ann Hart]

I am sure the Minister has heard my hon. Friend’s comments and will take them on board.