A pro-cannabis protest in Weymouth, Dorset
Following an e-petition that saw 220,000 signatures, the debate on legalising cannabis was reopened at Westminster Hall on 12 October 2015.
Labour’s Welsh MP Paul Flynn cited the decrease of substance abuse and its related crimes in Portugal and the US following decriminalisation, while Caroline Lucas (Green Party) echoed that prohibition does not work.
A salient point in favour of legalisation was the medicinal value of cannabis. Last year, Wales became the UK’s frontrunner in approving the use of cannabis-based Sativex for pain relief in MS patients.
Cannabis was also compared with alcohol, which caused over 5,000 deaths in the UK in each of the last 10 years (ONS).
Dr William Ford, who has conducted successful experiments with cannabinoids in cardiovascular and gastro-intestinal diseases, says, “From a scientific perspective that balances potential harm with benefit, cannabis is better than alcohol”
He added, “Marijuana may unmask mental illness in teenagers predisposed to it – but the same can be said for alcohol, which preprogrammes behaviours later in life.”
What do people in Cardiff think about Flynn’s proposal? We found out…
