Study Reveals UK is More Open To Medicinal Cannabis

The survey of 4,000 people, thought to be the largest ever conducted in the U.K., also found that there was low awareness of the availability of medical cannabis in the U.K., even though it has been legal to prescribe cannabis in Britain since 2018.

The survey was conducted by private cannabis clinic Mamedica and found that 

• 60% of British people consider using medical cannabis instead of conventional medicines.

• 89% of British people would consider cannabis if a doctor prescribed it. However, 59% are still not aware cannabis is available on prescription.

• 70% of people thought there was not enough education on medical cannabis 

• 81% still consider cannabis and its use to come with a negative stigma.

Despite cannabis being legal to prescribe, very few NHS prescriptions have been written. However, as many as 17,000 people have gained prescriptions through private UK clinics where they must pay a charge for their medication.

It is inspiring to see so many British people are now open to the idea of using medical cannabis. However, there is still a lot to do regarding educating about medicinal cannabis and its availability on the NHS. 

Many still hear the word cannabis and imagine the illegal street drug stereotype and the "high" effect of cannabis. However, this is not the case with medicinal cannabis as the THC levels are controlled carefully, as is the strength prescribed to each individual. Medicinal cannabis can provide positive health benefits without the stigmatised "high" many imagine.

Media reports concerning children with epilepsy and the role that medicinal cannabis can play in treating them have made people more aware of the potential of cannabis. However, we need to focus on educating patients and G.P.s to have better access to it.

Cannabis legalisation is also not at the forefront of the medicinal agenda because it poses a financial threat to "big pharma". A plant that's easy and cheap for anyone to grow with no lethal dose and a low potential for abuse is a much safer alternative in many cases than synthetic drugs.

The law may have changed, but there has been a failure of communication somewhere. Millions of people in the U.K. could potentially benefit from medical cannabis. Still, many remain unaware there is a safe, lawful way to use a plant known for thousands of years to help ease a broad spectrum of chronic health conditions."