A LARGE MAJORITY of Irish people want to see medicinal cannabis made available here.
A poll conducted for The Claire Byrne Show by Amárach found that 77% were for it, 13% were against while 10% responded that they didn’t know.
There has been a sharp rise in the number of people discussing the pros and cons of legalising the drug in recent weeks.
Health Minister Simon Harris has asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority to get expert advice on medicinal cannabis.
While he said he was not planning on total decriminalisation, he wanted to review the potential medical benefits of cannabis for treating particular illnesses and chronic pain.
For many people, the legalisation of cannabis will help loved ones deal with serious pain brought on by illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis or chronic back pain.
A number of stories have been brought to the public’s attention in recent weeks in relation to cannabis and its benefits.
One of those stories relates to Ava Barry, who has Dravet syndrome, a drug-resistant form of epilepsy.
Her family has tried several types of pharmaceutical medication have failed to improve her condition and she frequently has to spend time in hospital.
Her parents Vera Twomey and Paul Barry believe there is one thing that can help her: cannabidiol (CBD) oil, a form of medicinal marijuana.
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