Where is the UK in Terms of Medicinal Cannabis? 

In the UK, "Medical cannabis" is a broad term for any cannabis-based medicine that relieves symptoms. Many cannabis-based products are available online, but their quality and content are unknown.

Products like CBD and hemp oil are legally available as food supplements from health stores. However, there's no guarantee these are of good quality or have verified health benefits.

Distinct cannabis-based products are obtainable on prescription as medicinal cannabis. Unfortunately, these are only probable to benefit the tiniest number of patients.

Very few people in England are viable for a prescription for medical cannabis. It is only currently likely to be prescribed for specificconditions, including

• rare, severe forms of epilepsy
• vomiting or nausea generated by chemotherapy
• muscle stiffness and spasms induced by multiple sclerosis (MS)

Medicinal cannabis is only considered when other treatments have been unsuccessful or are unsuitable.

Epidyolex 

Epidyolex contains CBD. A specialist can prescribe Epidyolex for children and adult patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, which are rare forms of epilepsy.

Nabilone 

Considerable patients having chemotherapy will have spells where they feel sick or vomit.

Nabilone can be prescribed to adults to help ease these symptoms, but only when other treatments are ineffective or unsuitable.

Nabiximols (Sativex) 

Nabiximols (Sativex) is a cannabis-based spray dispersed into the mouth. It is approved in the UK for adult patients with MS-related muscle spasticity that has failed to improve via other treatments.

Chronic Pain

There is evidence that medical cannabis can help certain types of pain. However, this evidence is insufficient to suggest it for pain relief. In some circumstances, it may be prescribed for pain as a feature of a clinical trial.

What can I buy?

Some cannabis-based products are unrestricted and can be bought online without a prescription. In addition, health stores sell particular types of CBD. Yet, there's no assurance these products will be of satisfactory quality.

They may only contain minuscule amounts of CBD, so it's clouded what effect they may have.

Is medicinal cannabis safe to use?

The dangers of using cannabis products incorporating THC are unclear. This is why clinical trials are required before they can be used. However, CBD products, such as Epidyolex, do not have these unknown risks as they do not contain THC.

How do I prove I have a prescription?

Keep your medicine in its original packaging, as the dispensing label contains essential information about the treatment and the person it's prescribed for. In addition, the pharmacist's label on the medicine packet is the dispensing label when they give you your prescription medicine.

Always keep a copy of your prescription and a letter (if you have one) from the doctor who prescribed the medicine. The letter should include your details (including name and address) and the prescribing doctor's name and contact details. If you have one, you may need an ID matching the details on the dispensing label and the prescription or the doctor's letter.

Will the laws on cannabis be relaxed?

The UK government has no intention of legalising cannabis for recreational use. Possessing cannabis is illegal, whatever you're using it for. That includes medical use of cannabis products unless these have been prescribed for you.