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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Sco: Labour MSPs favour cannabis reform Liam McDougall The Big Issue in Scotland (UK) Thursday 21 Oct 1999 Date: 21-27 Oct, 1999. Issue 244 Source: The Big Issue in Scotland (UK) Labour MSPs favour cannabis reform EXCLUSIVE By Liam McDougall FOUR Labour MSPs have broken rank to call for the reform of Scotland's drug laws to make cannabis available for patients who are chronically ill. Margaret Curran, Cathy Peattie, Margaret Jamieson and Kate MacLean supported change in their response to a Big Issue questionnaire gauging Holyrood's opinion on the controversial subject which is back on top of the political agenda. Labour MSP for Dundee West, Kate MacLean, meanwhile, said she supported legalisation of the drug for recreational use and that she had taken cannabis before. Her stance was praised by Scottish Socialist Party MSP Tommy Sheridan, who also admitted to having smoked the drug. It also won admiration from chronically ill patients who illegally use cannabis to ease their pain - of whom there are an estimated 10,000 in the UK. Jonathan Wilson, 29, ofPrestwick, who has smoked cannabis for more than a year to combat the pain of stomach cancer, said: "It means a lot to me for these people to be honest about their feelings." The opinion of the four Labour MSPs - echoed by 33 other MSPs across all parties - has added support to a motion by Margo MacDonald, SNP MSP for Lothians, calling for a review of the cannabis laws in Scotland. Fifteen MSPs have publicly supported her proposal, but no backing, until now, has come from Labour. MacDonald said she hoped the MSPs' honesty would "persuade their party bosses of the sense of supporting an informed debate".
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