Demonstration planned to urge government to expand access to medical cannabis

Alicia Maher and her husband Gerry in Spain; she moved to Spain in 2019 so she could access cannabis safely for the treatment of chronic pain, she has remained there because she cannot afford the cost of the drug here.

A demonstration will take place at the Department of Health tomorrow to urge government to expand access to medical cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain and other conditions. 

The demonstration is being organised by the Patients for Safe Access group amid concerns that people cannot afford the costs of medical cannabis and are often denied access. 

Among those demonstrating is Alicia Maher from Mayfield, who moved to Spain in 2019 so she could access cannabis safely for the treatment of chronic pain. 

Although she has now been prescribed medical cannabis by a pain consultant in Ireland under a ministerial license, she has remained in Spain because she cannot afford the cost of the drug here.

A monthly dose would cost her €1,000 if she moved back to Ireland because her medical card does not cover it. It costs her just a quarter of that in Spain.

If chronic pain were one of the health conditions covered by the Medical Cannabis Access Programme, the treatment would then be covered by a medical card.

The conditions included in the programme are currently limited to just three — spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis; intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and severe, refractory epilepsy.

National Day of Action

Alicia will join other patients for a National Day of Action outside the Department of Health's offices in Dublin at 2pm tomorrow.

Ms Maher said: “We want increased access to medical cannabis for a broader range of conditions for which there is evidence that medical cannabis works, such as for chronic pain. 

"We want the Medical Cannabis Access Programme to be GP-led as opposed to consultant-led because of the waiting list for consultants at the moment.

"We also want it to be covered on the medical card, the long-term illness scheme, or the drugs payment scheme, the same as other medicine. 

"We want an increased range of products. At the moment, the products are CBD-dominant (Cannabidiol) but things like THC-based oils (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) are not currently on the scheme.” 

Read More about Cannabis report

Other speakers will include Martin O’Brien of Patients for Safe Access, Gino Kenny TD; Peter Reynolds of the Cannabis Industry Council, and activist Martin Condon.

According to the Department of Health, doctors can use the ministerial licencing route to prescribe medical cannabis conditions not covered by the Medical Cannabis Access Programme.

The department says that the granting of such a licence “must be premised on an appropriate application being submitted to the Department of Health, which is endorsed by a consultant who is responsible for the management of the patient and who is prepared to monitor the effects of the treatment over time.”