Medical cannabis to be legalised in the UK

After declaring that there was evidence to suggest that some cannabis-based medicines can be beneficial for people with certain conditions, including epilepsy, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has declared that they should be made available for prescription in the short term. As a result, it seems that the UK is set to introduce new laws that will see medical cannabis made available on prescription.

This news comes after a review from the UK government following a number of high profile news stories of cases where children with epilepsy were seen to benefit from the use of cannabinoid oils. The cases of Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell caught media attention in the last year. Particularly Billy’s case after his family was forced to travel to America to replenish his supply of cannabis oil, only to have it seized by border control on their return to the UK.

The initial review was carried out by Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sally Davies, who stated that cannabis-based medicines should no longer be classified as Schedule 1 (has zero therapeutic effect) under the Misuse of Drugs regulation. For clarity, this does not mean that all cannabis-based medicines and products will be made available for prescription, as others are still deemed to be harmful.

After the ACMD agreed, Dr Owen Bowden-Jones penned a letter to the Home Secretary stating:

“The ACMD advises that clinicians in the UK should have the option to prescribe cannabis-derived medicinal products that meet the requirements for medicinal standards to patients with certain medical conditions.”

The letter also called for further research into cannabis-based medicines to determine their true efficacy at helping to manage a wide range of conditions. They have also requested that strict guidelines be put into place to ensure that if allowed then the new medications will adhere to a clearly defined standard that would allow safe prescriptions of the medicine to those who need it.

This is potentially a big step forward in a long-standing battle to have cannabis-based medicines, such as CBD oils made available on the NHS. Many parents and healthcare professionals have long since been advocates of the potential benefits that cannabis-based medications can have on seizures and as part of a treatment plan for those with epilepsy.

Initially, it’s thought that cannabis-based medications will be prescribed by specialist healthcare professionals for severe cases where their benefit can be clearly demonstrated. This may leave some people wondering whether they will qualify to receive the medication on the NHS, however, many details are still unclear and should reveal themselves in due course.

If you are one of the people wondering whether cannabis-based medicines can help, we encourage you to always speak to a healthcare professional beforehand and ensure you only use treatments that have been prescribed by your doctor or advised by your healthcare team.