South Dorset MP Richard Drax has told Parliament that he was "delighted" that the Government would not be making cannabis usage legal.

It comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced yesterday that there would be a review into the medical use of cannabis.

The decision follows the case of young Billy Caldwell who received an emergency licence from the Home Secretary earlier this week for cannabis-based medicine to alleviate his life-threatening epilepsy.

Mr Javid said: "The course of action in this case was unprecedented. There is strong scientific evidence that cannabis can harm people's mental and physical health and damage communities. There are currently no legally recognised medicinal or therapeutic benefits."

"Let me be absolutely clear, this is in no way the first step in the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use. This Government have absolutely no plans to legalise cannabis, and the penalties for unauthorised supply and possession will remain unchanged. We will not set a dangerous precedent or weaken our ability to keep dangerous drugs off the streets."

Mr Drax responded to the Home Secretary's statement and said: "I absolutely understand the Government's review of this policy, and I welcome it for those who suffer and need this drug to make them better, but may I just say that, from my own life experience, I am delighted that the Government are not going to decriminalise the use of drugs.

"All too often, people start on cannabis and end on something far worse, and I have personally seen the devastation to families and the loss of children because of drugs."