Medicinal cannabis: “The reselling of any controlled drug… is illegal”

Thursday 05 May 2022

A lobby group in Guernsey says it has been made aware of people reselling cannabis prescriptions in the island.

“We have been made aware that the resale of prescription Cannabis is being sold on to young people on Les Genats estate in Guernsey and this is being closely monitored by local services,” claimed the Guernsey Drug Strategy Campaign (GDSC) group on Facebook.

“We want to make it abundantly clear that while we educate, lobby and fully support a regulated Cannabis market, we DO NOT in anyway support the sale of Cannabis to young people.”

Pictured: The GDSC recently published its concerns online.

It comes as the Committee for Health & Social Care confirms that 5,069 medicinal cannabis licences have been granted since a change in the law allowed it in October 2020.

“People are prescribed [cannabis-based products medicinal] only after having been assessed by a medical practitioner, who should provide a prescription if it is clinically appropriate to do so," said the Committee.

“The use of these prescribed medicines is still in its infancy, with evidence continuing to be collected and reviewed about possible benefits or otherwise.”

Pictured: These are the most recent statistics as published by HSC.

Medicinal cannabis was legalised in 2019 but patients had to wait until a law change in 2020 that allowed UK clinicians to supply it. There are now some routes to have a face-to-face consultation with local medical practitioners. 

Once a patient is prescribed medicinal cannabis, they are then granted a licence to import the drug by their clinic. 

Bailiwick Law Enforcement has since reiterated that reselling any controlled drug is an offence.

“The reselling of any controlled drug acquired through a medical prescription - including cannabis obtained through a medicinal license - is illegal, and people caught doing so will be prosecuted.

“Guernsey Police would encourage anyone with information about the resale of drugs by people with prescriptions to report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or to call the Police Station directly on 01481 222222.”