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Medical cannabis to be legalised, but not for recreational use:

Medical cannabis will now be available on prescription due to its approval for use by the government.

Medical Cannabis

Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, has said “Following advice from two sets of independent advisors, I have taken the decision to reschedule cannabis-derived medicinal products- meaning they will be available on prescription.”

It has been said thousands of patients with drug-resistant conditions could potentially be able to use cannabis-derived medicinal products for treatment. Cannabis has previously been classed as a schedule 1 drug, meaning there was thought to be no therapeutic value in it and could not be lawfully possessed or prescribed. However, it should now be placed under schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 according to Sajid which will allow clinicians to prescribe them by autumn.   

Medical cannabis is to be prescribed to help patients with exceptional clinical needs. One example is six year old Alfie Dingley who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy; it causes him to have up to 30 seizures a day. Alfie’s family has said that cannabis reduces the number of his seizures.

The change by the home secretary is due to government’s official drug advisers and the chief medical officer of England, Sally Davies, who both came to the conclusion of therapeutic benefit from cannabis for some conditions. This conclusion came after a necessary review due to a number of ‘high-profile’ cases involving children who were being denied access to cannabis oil to control epileptic seizures.  The home secretary has highlighted that this is in no way a legalisation of cannabis for recreational use.

The Department for Health and Social Care and the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency now have to establish what is actually defined as a cannabis-derived medicinal product so that these products can be prescribed.

 

Disclaimer:

This blog is intended to give general information and does not constitute legal advice. Should you require legal advice please contact us.

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