James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that sistivex is made available to MS suffers here; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that it is available to MS sufferers in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29707/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to the drug Sativex which has recently been licensed in the UK for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.

The current legal position in Ireland in relation to cannabis and cannabis based medicinal products such as Sativex is that they are Schedule 1 controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. All Schedule 1 substances are substances which are considered as having no medicinal use and the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis and cannabis derivatives is unlawful except for the purposes of research.

My Department is aware that claims have been made in respect of Sativex and its possible benefits for patients suffering from certain conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and cancer. As the law currently stands it would not be possible for Sativex to be licensed here for medicinal use or for a General Practitioner to prescribe it. As cannabis is the drug which is most abused in Ireland, I am reluctant to loosen the controls on its use. However, I am seeking expert clinical advice in this matter and I am open to making a change to the Misuse of Drugs legislation to allow for the use of medicinal cannabis based drugs such as Sativex, if the expert advice indicates that a change is warranted.