Minister stays far from medicinal marijuana

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has distanced himself from a call to legalise medicinal marijuana. Independent Senator Dhanayshar Mahabir suggested that Government allow the use of medicinal marijuana to treat with some non-communicable diseases (NCDs), during his contribution in the Upper House on Tuesday.

He identified several Canadian-based licensed producers of medical cannabis that were collecting billions of dollars in sales from selling the herb.

When asked about this on Wednesday during the National Symposium on Strengthening Primary Health Care Towards Enhancing the Health System Response to NCDs at the Hilton Trinidad, Port of Spain, Deyalsingh said he could not endorse Mahabir’s call.

“There is something called a Drug Advisory Committee (DAC) which is headed by the Chief Medical Officer (Roshan Parasram).

“I am totally divorced from that as a minister. It is an independent body where anybody can make an application to register any drug in Trinidad and Tobago. The DAC makes that determination.

“I cannot endorse alternative treatment that has not gone through the screening process by the DAC.

“They would review the merits and demerits of any application in six months to a year. It was brought down from five years,” he said.

Deyalsingh did not want to comment on whether one could purchase medicinal marijuana without feeling like they were breaking the law.