The Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group (CDPRG) conducted a survey among 1690 participants across England, Wales and Scotland last month.
The results of the survey showed that 24% of the participants were in favor of allowing patients (who have been prescribed medical marijuana) to grow their own cannabis plants. However, 40% of the participants responded that no one should be allowed to grow their own plants no matter what.
22% of the respondents believed that all people should be given the right to self-produce the drug.
Unlike the United States, there isn’t a proper medical marijuana program in the UK. However, specialist doctors can still legally prescribe the drug to patients, courtesy of an amendment which was made to the law in November last.
Notably, only one cannabis-based product is licensed in the UK; however, it is not actively prescribed on the NHS as it isn’t deemed cost-effective.
Doctors have the right to prescribe unlicensed products if they deem it medically necessary, but owing to a lack of research on the long-term use of cannabis, most doctors shy away from taking any personal responsibility.
When asked if they back the government’s policy on cannabis-based medicines, 77% of the respondents said that they are in favor of legalization.
Going a step further, the officials asked participants if they believed the government’s policy deals well with the country’s drug issues, 79% thought that it doesn’t.
“Illicit drugs are doing terrible damage to families and communities across the country.” CDPRG chief executive, Rob Wilson, said to the local media. “Thousands of people are dying, the youth is taking drugs which they neither understand nor know what they contain. Meanwhile, violent criminal gangs are making massive financial gains while preying on the vulnerable.”
