Lib Dems' Alex Cole-Hamilton admits to cannabis use at university

An MSP has admitted to using cannabis in his university days as he backed a campaign to offer the drug medically to a young boy with epilepsy.

Scottish Liberal Democrats MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton. Picture: Greg Macvean

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP confessed the class B drug made him “sleepy and a bit queasy”.

The revelation comes as he pledged his support to mother-of-three Karen Gray, from East Craigs, Edinburgh, who has launched a petition for Cannabidiol (CBD) oil to be prescribed to her son Murray in the hope it will to reduce the “nightmare” seizures that the brave youngster has to endure.

The Edinburgh MSP said: “Full disclosure, I used it in my student days, but cannabis only ever made me sleepy and a bit queasy so it’s not my cup of tea.

“Access to these treatments would make a huge difference to the quality of life of kids like Murray. Any parent would want to make sure their child’s life is as pain-free as possible and it’s heartbreaking that under the laws currently in place, the NHS is not able to support patients who would benefit from the use of CBD oil. Many patients could benefit from such treatments if they had access to support from medical professionals in doing so.”

Murray was diagnosed with Myoclonic Astatic Epilepsy (MAE) at the city’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children in December after suffering 12 seizures in one month. The five-year-old is currently in hospital where he is taking a range of medicines which doctors believe may control his spasms.

The case is similar to that of Alfie Dingley, six, from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, who has 20 to 30 seizures a day.

His family are campaigning to have Cannabidiol oil made available for medical purposes and Home Office ministers are looking at the possibility of a drug trial to help him.

Cannabidiol oil is readily available and legal to buy, but having spoken with her doctor Karen realised she would need a medical professional to help with things like dosage.

An online petition has almost 1,000 signatures in only a few days and the mother of the P1 Clermiston Primary School pupil is grateful for the support shown so far.

She said: “We’re grateful to Alex and to everyone else for their support. It’s a nightmare just watching him, you can’t do anything and you feel totally helpless. It is ridiculous the CBD oil is not available on the NHS. We have tried other methods that haven’t worked on Murray. We know that this definitely helps him so we should be able to use it. That is the most frustrating part.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “What’s ludicrous about this is that the purchase and use of CBD is legal. I’ve co-signed a cross party letter calling for a new, national conversation on controlled substances.”