More than half UK MPs support medical marijuana legalization

A recent poll found more than half of UK’s MPs back legalization of medical marijuana.

Following the parliamentary debates on the issue, this survey found per cent of MPs backed the medical marijuana use for people suffering from serious health conditions.

Among supporters are Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister and Dr Dan Poulter, a former health minister and Tory MP.

The poll sought the opinion of 108 representative sample of MPs and concluded that 60 per cent of Labour MPs and 55 per cent of Conservative MPs supported the use of cannabis for medical reasons.

Scottish National Party overwhelmingly support the move with 88 percent of MPs said ‘yes’ and none of them polled expressed any opposition.

An increasing number of studies in recent years supported the medical value of cannabis in treating conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and arthritis, and for dealing with nerve pain.

Officially, none of Labour and Conservative party support legalizing cannabis for medical use. Liberal Democrats and Green party are calling for medical use of cannabis for some time.

To make demands for decriminalization of the weed Lib Dems have went one step further, calling for legalization of recreational use as well.

Last night Mr Clegg said: “A majority of MPs get the compassionate case for medical cannabis. The UK is increasingly out of step with other countries on this issue. The government should listen to parliament and cannabis patients themselves and bring forward proposals for a change in the law.”

Supporting the case of medical use of cannabis, Dr Poulter said, “This is about ensuring the provision of better care and support for those living with chronic pain, long-term degenerative conditions and, in some cases, people being cared for at the end of their life.” 

“It is an unnecessary burden for people in pain to have the added pressure of not being able to access a treatment which could provide symptomatic relief, or to be criminalised if they try to do so,” he went further.

Use of cannabis for medical reasons is legal in 25 states of US and Germany recently voted for similar changes. In UK, MPs debated legalization of cannabis for medical purposes but the move was rejected by the justice ministers.

Dr Poulter, a hospital doctor, said: “Many other European countries, not to mention several American states, have already woken up to the medicinal uses of cannabis and the UK Government should look more closely at the evidence and allow medicinal use of cannabis, via prescription, when it is in the best interests of patients.”

The campaign to legalize cannabis for medical purposes is getting momentum in recent times, now celebrities such as Richard Brandson and Joanna Lumley have also thrown their support for the decriminalization of the weed.

This poll gives grounds for optimism that UK MPs would change law allowing for medical use of cannabis. The results show that MPs share the view people who take cannabis for medical reasons are patients, not criminals.