UK moves to legalise medicinal cannabis/marijuana

It has just been announced that UK patients will be able to get prescribed cannabis derived medication from British Doctors as early as Autumn this year. Some products have been in use for a while including a spray called sativex but this new announcement means that more products will be made available after recent cases had highlighted the benefits of the use of this drug. 
There are NO plans to legalise the recreational use of the drug.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory. 

“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.

“This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need.”

But Mr Javid said it was “in no way a first step to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use.”

New uses for the drug could cover conditions such as Epilepsy or MS but full details are yet announced.

Possession of the class B drug will still carry an unlimited fine and up to five years in jail, while dealers face 14 years in prison.

Billy Caldwell and his Mother Charlotte with the Cannabis based medicine

The move comes after the Health Authorities in Northern Ireland granted an emergency licence to allow the use of Cannabis oil on 12 year old Billy Caldwell who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy.

An initial review by Dame Sally Davies, chief medical adviser, concluded there is evidence medicinal cannabis has therapeutic benefits.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which carried out the second part of the review, last week said doctors should be able to prescribe medicinal cannabis provided products meet safety standards.

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