Legal and Medical Conflict
Consultant seeks to prescribe marijuana
An Irish consultant has unsuccessfully sought permission from the Irish Goverment to prescribe marijuana for a chronically ill patient. The patient, author, and People of the Year Award winner, Mr Paddy Doyle, suffers from Idiopathic Torsion Dystonia, and it was hoped that the drug would lessen his stress arising from severe involuntary movements.
Mr Doyle's consultant wrote to the Minister for Justice, Ms Nora Owen, recently, indicating that existing medication had not improved his patient's condition. In the letter, the consultant said the Minister might be aware that there was interest in the medicinal aspects of marijuana and thought it might be worth while trying it on this patient, who was severly physically handicapped and disabled by his Dystonia.
The Consultant, who has not been named, said his patient had been tried unsuccessfully on virtually every known standard medication, and would appreciate if there was a way for Mr Doyle to "have this treatment without flouting the law"
The letter was referred by the Justice Minister on to the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, who turned down the request. In his response, the Minister said that Marijuana was a Schedule 1 controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, 1977 and 1984, and there was no recognised medical or scienific use. He said the manufacture, possession, supply and the prescription of the drug was prohibited except under licence from the Minister.
"Such licences may, under the law, be only granted for the purpose of research, forensic analysis, or in respect of the use of the drug as an essential starting material for the manufacture of other drugs."The Minister said that the medical claims being made in favour of marijuana were not supported by clinical research and that its use could lead to experimentation with other drugs. The Goverment's stance was not to change the legal position on any drug, including marijuana.
"I am angered by the Health Minister's flat refusal on this issue, without any consultation or discussion with my consultant. All I want is a percentage reduction in my condition", said Mr Doyle.
June 1997 - Fergal Bowers, Irish Medical News
