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MPs have backed calls for a change in medical marijuana laws after an epileptic boy’s high profile battle for treatment.

The Home Office granted Charlotte Caldwell an emergency licence allowing 20 days of medical marijuana treatment for her 12-year-old son Billy, after border officials confiscated her son’s cannabis oil, which the family tried to import from Canada.

Billy has been using cannabis oil since 2012, to treat his seizures.

Now, MPs are showing support for a rethink on medical marijuana laws, which countries like the USA and Canada have relaxed in recent years.

Crispin Blunt, a Conservative MP who co-chairs an all-parliamentary group on drug policy reform, called on Sunday for a re-think on policy.

“We need to get serious now about getting the benefits of these medicines, and move to change the frankly absurd position we are in,” he said, according to the BBC.

(Image: PA)

Dr Dan Poulter, a Conservative former health minister who has supported the Caldwells, said a law change would be straight forward.

He said: “In my view, a simple tweak to the law should enable the prescription of medicinal cannabis by doctors and I will now be working with my parliamentary colleagues to look at moving control away from the Home Office to the Department of Health.”

Dr Poulter, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, believes the Home Office will return six more bottles which officials confiscated from Billy’s family.

“Although Billy has so far only been given one bottle of his medication, I am hopeful that the Home Office will continue to show compassion towards Billy, and allow the return of the remainder of his anti-epilepsy medication,” he said.

Former drugs minister Norman Baker described the confiscation as “cruel and humane”.

“It became very clear to me in my time as drugs minister that cannabis has useful medical properties and, indeed, that it is the only substance that works for some people, a situation widely recognised in other countries,” the Liberal Democrat said.

SNP MP Ronnie Cowan said the UK is “out of touch” in its stance to medical marijuana and pointed to countries such as Italy, Germany, the USA and Canada for modernising their laws.

Ms Caldwell, 50, of Castlederg in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, has vowed to keep up her fight not just for Billy, but for others who want access to the drug.