THE terrible suffering of Billy Caldwell, a 12-year-old boy with epilepsy, seems to have forced the government into a landmark concession over its drug laws. His seizures were controlled with a pharmaceutical-grade cannabis oil that is made in Canada. But when his mother tried to bring a supply into the country, it was seized by the Home Office. The law deems cannabis to have no medical value, and its possession has been illegal since 1971. When Billy was later hospitalised with a return of his seizures, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, relented and issued a 20-day licence for the product. Billy was then treated and released from hospital.
Despite the short length of the licence, Mr Javid’s move set a clear precedent for the medical use of cannabis in Britain. On June 19th he duly announced a change of policy, on the grounds that it had become apparent that there was a pressing case for letting people who might benefit from cannabis treatments have them. Within a week, the Home Office will set up a...Continue reading
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