Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The HPRA indicated this. It also indicated that the products were beneficial. A patient who had used cannabis oil came into my clinic last week and she was not dramatically different from the way she was the week before. It is claimed by the HPRA that the four cannabis-based products are as effective for certain conditions as what are in the Deputy's proposal.

I have already raised the issue of a licence versus prescription and would like to know which option we would be better relying on in the future. I have also covered alternative drugs, which are available and can have a similar effect. The side effects have been covered by various people and I accept that there are side effects with every drug. The fear among some people is that, given the association of cannabis with illegal drug activity, we might be attempting to legalise it by the back door. I know that is not the intention of Professor Finn or Deputy Kenny but it would not promote the product very well if other people saw it as a means of introducing a banned drug for general use. We want to see a distinct barrier between that use and its use for medicinal purposes. In the absence of meeting those criteria, the Bill needs to be looked at in considerably more detail and with much more research.