Medicinal Cannabis Bill needs to be amended says Corcoran Kennedy

The legalisation of medicinal cannabis could lead to the decriminalisation for all uses, Minister of State for Health Promotion Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has warned.

A bill to legalise the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes was debated in the Dail today and at the time of writing was expected to be passed by TDs.

Speaking on Midlands 103 earlier, Deputy Kennedy voiced her concerns that unless there are amendments made to the bill, it could lead to the drug being decriminalised for recreational use also.

'It's going to affect the Misuse of Drugs Act, which will unintentionally fully decriminalise cannabis in all respects. I don't think that was necessarily the intention of the bill, but that's why we couldn't accept it as it stands. it has to be amended. The other aspect of it is the proposal is to establish two new NGOs, a new research institute and also a new regulatory authority. We already do have our health products regulatory authority so we don't' really need another one.'