The Scottish National Party is backing the decriminalization of cannabis for medicinal use, calling on the UK government to allow the Scottish government to regulate the drug, the Independent reports.
The vote by the delegates does not mean that the Scottish government will adopt the policy, but it is an indication of strong support for future measures.
Laura Brennan-Whitefield, who has suffered from multiple sclerosis for nine years, met with the delegates and urged them to show “compassion and common sense” on medical marijuana policies.
“I’m not advocating the smoking of cannabis, what I’m advocating is a progressive and reasonable, compassionate society where you can access pain relief,” she said in the report. “It has become very clear to me over these last nine years that many people living with MS have been using cannabis to help with the symptoms of that condition. In fact, it’s one of the worst kept secrets at the hospital.”
Crispin Blunt, a Conservative Member of Parliament for the Reigate constituency in Surrey, said he has been asked to stop asking questions about drug policy while in office, saying that he has been told it was “impolitic” to raise those issues.
In the UK, cannabis is classified as a Class B drug, and people convicted for possession can face up to five years in prison; however, the maximum penalties are rarely enforced, according to the report.
Just last week, the UK government’s Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency admitted that CBD has medicinal value and will allow CBD-only products to be sold by licensed retailers.
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