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Ireland: Only Way Paddy Gets Relief Is When He Lights Up A Joint

Irish Examiner

Saturday 18 Nov 2000

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Website: http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Cormac O'Keeffe


THE ONLY WAY PADDY GETS RELIEF IS WHEN HE LIGHTS UP A JOINT

THE only time Paddy Doyle's spasms stop is when he falls asleep.

Doctors have described his condition as the equivalent of being in a gym
eight hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

"It's constant involuntary movement which affects the whole body," he
said.

Mr Doyle, from Inchicore in Dublin, suffers from an incurable disease
called Dystonia. "I take loads of pills for my condition, but they
don't do any good. The only time I've had relief is when I've smoked
cannabis."

Mr Doyle, 49, writer of The God Squad, said he's only had access to
cannabis a couple of times in his life, but is adamant it works and
wants to be able to get it legally. "Why should I have to score in some
dark street? I'm not a criminal. I shouldn't be treated like one," he
said. "To me it's a matter of personal human rights. I am very angry
and annoyed that I cannot get it."

While many disabled people are privately in favour of allowing cannabis
to be used as a medicine, Mr Doyle is one of very few who has felt able
to speak openly about it. "The Government shows no compassion and scant
regard and trust for doctors and neurologists by preventing them from
prescribing cannabis," he said.

The writer first brought the issue into the public arena in 1997 when
his consultant wrote to the then Minister of Health Michael Noonan
asking for permission to prescribe cannabis to him. "I was basically
told no way, you're not getting that. It's illegal and there's no
scientific truth that its beneficial. End of story," he said.

Mr Doyle welcomed the announcement this week that the Government would
examine the issue.

"Anything that moves this forward is great, but let's not go hysterical
at the mention of cannabis. What we are talking about here is a herb
that can ease the symptoms of some dreadful disabilities."



 

 

 

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