Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is an offence to cultivate, import, export, produce, supply and possess cannabis, except in accordance with a ministerial licence issued by the Minister for Health. The Misuse of Dugs (Exemption) Order 2017 limits the purposes for which such licences for cannabis can be issued, including, for example, forensic analysis or research, including research involving the cultivation of cannabis for use in approved clinical trials. An exception to the legislation relates to the cannabis-based medicine, Sativex. This prescription-only medicine is authorised by the HPRA as a treatment for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, who have not responded to other medication and who demonstrate improvement during initial trials. It is important to take this opportunity to confirm that the Government has no plans to legalise what is commonly referred to as recreational cannabis.

On the issue of the interpretation of the law, we have to operate under existing law, and as the Deputy will be aware, interpretation of that law is a matter for the courts.

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