Missed chance on drug debate
I COMMEND the timely and sensitive response by the head of Law Enforcement, police chief Ruari Hardy, in giving out transparent information and details in response to some reasonable public concern and chat. He acknowledged that the Border Agency uniformed staff armed with a legal and proper search warrant did not know the full personal circumstances of the case at the time. I am sure we believe and are reassured that the officers acted professionally and with compassion too. The chief officer rightly says, a proportionate approach to this key situation of a dying man’s pain relief. I can only offer as a States member, but not a past or present member of the Home Affairs department, my best wishes and condolences too. It is a personal tragedy with such a young family.
But there are huge political mysteries to solve, and not just those raised by campaigner Lucia Pagliarone.
1. Why is cannabis oil, due to its high THC content, rated as a class A rather than a class B drug? This seems inconsistent with medical and political classification.
2. I appreciate that the offence currently requires suspect intercepted post to be delivered for evidential reasons, but there has also been raised the safeguarding issue of potentially harmful drugs being available in a family’s house where young children might inadvertently open a package and ingest. Or is that not the case any more?
3. The States missed their last opportunity this term to have a full and frank debate about medicinal use and amnesties due to an ill-judged sursis amendment which cancelled the debate and postponed an urgent situation made worse by lockdown.
4. I don’t think the Border Agency or Law Enforcement uniformed personnel should be blamed for carrying out their professional job to the letter of the law. The fault is more legislative and political.
5. I remember the much missed and late Deputy Martin Storey, then deputy minister for Health, saying medicinal cannabis licences were legal and potentially available in Guernsey. This was seven years back. Why haven’t Health & Social Care been more responsive and proactive in issuing appropriate licences in difficult cases? HSC are a very compassionate team and it is puzzling to read Lucia Pagliarone’s comments that Jersey has made more progress in this key area.
6. Finally, given the tendency for the States over the past five months to use sometimes draconian emergency powers over liberty, people’s behaviour, the borders etc., why has not the CCA considered this matter as maybe requiring some temporary and suspendable emergency and contingency powers, especially in cases where normal palliative and other health care has been rationalised, reduced or suspended?
DEPUTY JOHN GOLLOP
Address withheld.