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

Notwithstanding that Mr. Lennon's professional competence has been questioned, does a particular medicine have the same effect on all patients and users? Could I not say I believe a particular drug is the ideal thing for a particular problem? Is there a difference in the way it might affect other people, given their different metabolism? Does Mr. Lennon have the professional competence to answer that question? What is the difference between cannabis and medicinal cannabis? Will he shed some light as to what it might be? I do not know what cannabis does. I have not had any experience with it. I do not even know what it looks like. Is there a difference between the one a person can grow in a pot, which I have heard about, and medicinal cannabis? We were given information previously to the effect that cannabis-based drugs are available and authorised under existing legislation, and require prescriptions or whatever the case may be. Is that true? Are they available?

Who has responsibility for the health and safety of the population of the country in the event of there being a readily available product that some people question and others do not from the point of view of medicinal benefit? Is cannabis the only alternative? I recognise that it has use in situations of severe pain, as I have mentioned previously, but is it true that cannabis is not the only alternative? Does it have to be cannabis only? Are there alternatives other than cannabis, whether medicinal or non-medicinal cannabis? I know Mr. Lennon is going to tell me about types of cannabis in a second. Are the alternatives successful or not, and is Mr. Lennon professionally qualified to answer that question?