Medicinal cannabis is now legal on prescription in the UK
For the first time, medicinal products containing cannabis are available to UK patients. As of today (1 November 2018), it is legal for doctors to prescribe medicines containing the drug, after the government faced mounting pressure from pro-legalisation campaigners.
Under new NHS guidance, cannabis treatments can be prescribed but only by specialist doctors and under certain circumstances: there must be clear evidence of its benefits and patients must have exhausted all other options first.
The decision follows the high-profile cases of two boys, Alfie Dingley, seven, and Billy Caldwell, 13, earlier this year. Both suffer from severe epilepsy and were initially denied access to cannabis oil, even though their families had stated that their epileptic symptoms had notably improved with cannabis oil treatments that weren’t available in the UK.
After these cases Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced in June that there would be a review of medicinal cannabis. This review has concluded that there is sufficient evidence in favour of the treatment, due to its therapeutic benefits.
Providing they meet safety standards, specialist doctors are now able to prescribe medicinal cannabis products, meaning those suffering from conditions such as severe epilepsy are set to benefit.
The government has made it clear that these new guidelines are not a step towards legalising recreational cannabis.
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