Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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450. To ask the Minister for Health when persons here who suffer from spasticity symptoms associated with MS will be able to access cannabis-based medicinal products to improve their quality of life; when will the draft misuse of drugs (amendment) regulations to amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 be approved by Government; and when will the draft regulations be notified to the European Commission, if required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27836/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, the manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession of cannabis or cannabis-based medicinal products are unlawful except under licence for the purposes of research.

My Department has been informed by the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) that it has received an application for marketing authorisation approval for a cannabis-based medicinal product, known as Sativex. It is indicated for the relief of symptoms of spasticity for people with multiple sclerosis where other conservative treatments have failed to provide adequate benefit.

Draft Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations to enable authorised cannabis-based medicinal products such as Sativex to be legally prescribed by medical practitioners and used by patients are currently being finalised. These do not require notification under the Technical Standards Directive and it is anticipated that the draft Regulations will be introduced shortly.