Pubdate: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 Source: Belfast Telegraph (UK) Copyright: 2000 Belfast Telegraph Newspapers Ltd. Contact: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ CANNABIS LEGALISATION BILL BEFORE COMMONS A Bill calling for the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use was coming before Parliament for its second reading today. A cross-party group of MPs, including such well-known Commons names as Tony Benn and Martin Bell, signed an early day motion yesterday deploring the continuing criminalisation of the soft drug. They demanded that doctors be allowed to prescribe it to people suffering from chronic pain caused by multiple sclerosis, Aids and the side effects of chemotherapy. The change in the law has been recommended by a House of Lords science select committee, which suggested a limited number of doctors should be allowed to prescribe cannabis to named patients in the same way that millions of other prescriptions are dispensed. Among the signatories are Lib Dem deputy leader Alan Beith, Gavin Strang Labour's former transport minister and the Tory eurosceptic Teresa Gorman. Former Labour minister Frank Field and Martin O'Neill, Labour chairman of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee, have also backed the motion, as has veteran cannabis campaigner and Labour backbencher Paul Flynn (Newport West). Government whips are expected to object to the bill, said Mr Flynn. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek