The parliamentary account
Compare the internal advice, ministerial choice, law and published explanation.
ExploreTest the decision.
Follow the record.
Explore legal design, equality, parliamentary accountability, enforcement and the evidence required to judge Government’s response.
Report update · 26 October 2026
Protection must work across the framework.
The proposal addresses the patient’s smoking offence, possession conditions, the cannabis-specific premises offence and otherwise lawful clinical ordering and supply. Awareness of smoked use must not, by itself, defeat otherwise lawful care. Smoke-free law, independently unlawful possession or supply, product controls, drug-driving rules and individual clinical judgment remain. The illustrative clauses are proposals for Government’s drafters, not enacted protection.
The equality duty continues when Government considers patient protection and responds to ACMD; it is not confined to the 2018 decision.
Explore the evidence and analysisFrom a legal mechanism to accountable delivery
The research distinguishes the law in force, Government’s explanation, the evidence supplied by institutions and the reform JBD seeks. The source records allow readers to test the reasoning and its scope.
This route prioritises statutory comparison, decision-making, equality and proportionality, parliamentary correction, justice preparation and the practical implementation of remedies. The full report and individual records remain available without following the patient-facing route first.
Selected starting sources
A different selection for this audience, drawn from the shared evidence base.
Misuse of Drugs Regulations regulation 16A publisher text
The statutory product and administration rules, including regulation 16A(3).
Open record and contextEquality Act 2010 section 149 at 11 October 2018
Public sector equality duty in the version relevant to the 2018 decision.
Open record and contextHome Office smoking-options submission, 13 September 2018
Smoking-options advice to ministers: recognised patient benefit, professional controls and proposed prohibition.
Open record and contextUK Parliament explanation of Explanatory Memoranda
Explanatory memorandum to SI 2018/1055 and its account of the smoking prohibition.
Open record and contextMoJ 260112115 response 28 April 2026
Original source or supporting reference, with the supplied context and publisher route.
Open record and context