Kenny calls on government to publish review and expand Medical Cannabis Access Programme

People Before Profit Dublin Mid West TD Gino Kenny says he is calling on the government to immediately publish a long-awaited review into the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme and for the scheme to be expended to include other conditions in addition to those currently stipulated.

The TD said that other conditions must be included in the access programme.

“It’s now over five years since the recommendation to set up the Medical Cannabis Access Programme,” Deputy Kenny said.

“From the outset campaigners stated the programme was far too restrictive in terms of conditions stipulated in the programme.

“From a letter I have received from the Minister on this matter less than fifty people have access via the programme and seventy-five under the ministerial licence criteria.

“That equates to just over one hundred individuals which have some form of access in Ireland.

“Any recommendation from the current review must expand the programme to other conditions and give the provision so that general practitioners can prescribe medical cannabis to their patients.

“Recently the Dáil’s Justice Committee recommended that MCAP should be less restrictive and should be discussed at the ongoing Citizen’s Assembly on Drug Use.

“We have seen particularly in Europe and elsewhere the accessibility and availability of medical cannabis products to people who can and will benefit from this treatment.”