Unique medical use of cannabis a 'big lie'

Cannabis does not have any unique medical use and should not be legalised,
a doctors conference was told.

Dr Seaghan Ua Conchubhair, honorary secretary of the Association of GPs,
said that people in favour of decriminalisation of cannabis say it is not
harmful and not addictive and does not lead onto other addictions.

"But it has long been recognised that cannabis leads to addiction and
stronger drugs. People say that it relieves pain among people with cancer
and other diseases which conventional medicine cannot deal with. I think
that is a big lie but told often enough it will be believed," said Dr Ua
Conchubhair from Galway.

Speaking about National Alcohol Policy, recently published by the
Department of Health, Dr Cyril Daly from Dublin said it was very difficult
to take the government seriously in this matter. "There are very few people
in Ireland who give their employees a place where they can drink during
working hours as they have in the Dail. There will have to be a few changes
before we can take them seriously," said Dr Daly.

Calling for medical card holders to be covered for cervical smears, Dr
Bridget Maher from Cork told the a.g.m. said it was very unfair to women
that it was not included.

"Does this mean that doing an ECG, which is included in the GMS, to detect
an abnormality of the heart, is deserving but a smear test to detect
cervical cancer is not."