By Bethany Ruby Rose-
Medicinal cannabis oil has been legalized in the Ul for the first time and will be available on prescription from next month, according to Home Secretary has Sajid Javid.
The Home Secretary has set a date of November 1, in which Uk laws will change to allow cannabis-based products for medicinal use to be prescribed in England, Scotland and Wales, according to a written statement from Sajid Javid. The announcement comes after The Eye Of Media.Com revealed on Tuesday that the Home Office was on the verge of legalizing medical cannabis in the Uk.
The dramatic change to Uk policy on the matter follows to review and change the policy on medical cannabis was sparked by high profile cases of patients being denied products containing THC, the psychoactive compound that makes users ‘high’.Chief medical adviser, Professor Dame Sally Davies, concluded there was evidence that medicinal cannabis has therapeutic benefits.
The second part, carried out by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), recommended drugs meet a clear definition of a cannabis-derived medicinal products should be placed in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. Cannabis was previously bracketed under the Schedule 1 category. Drugs under this category were thought to have no medicinal value, therefore denying them of legal right of possession or prescription.
In a written statement to parliament, Javid said: “I have been clear that my intention was always to ensure that patients have access to the most appropriate course of medical treatment.
“I stressed the importance of acting swiftly to ensure that where medically appropriate, these products could be available to be prescribed to patients.”
He added: “I have been consistently clear that I have no intention of legalizing the recreational use of cannabis. To take account of the particular risk of misuse of cannabis by smoking and the operational impacts on enforcement agencies, the 2018 regulations continue to prohibit smoking of cannabis, including of cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans.”
Speaking of the cases that have promoted the legal change, Javid said:
Having been moved by heartbreaking cases involving sick children, it was important to me that we took swift action to help those who can benefit from medicinal cannabis.
We have now delivered on our promise and specialist doctors will have the option to prescribe these products where there is a real need.
I’m grateful to the expert panel – who have been considering cases in the interim – and to those who’ve worked hard to bring about this change at the earliest possible opportunity.
BENEFITS
Researchers over the years concluded that the extract CBD (cannabidiol) has many benefits including relieving insomnia, anxiety, spasticity and pain, to treating potentially life-threatening conditions such as epilepsy. Countries like Netherlands, Denmark, and Canada have already legalized Cannabis oil, setting the standard for its medicinal benefits. Britain has been lagging behind in this respect, giving much consideration to other factors now eventually kicked to the curb.
Schedule 2 drugs, such as ketamine, can be prescribed and supplied by doctors and pharmacists. They can also be legally possessed by anyone with a prescription. According to Mr Javid, cannabis drugs will only will be re-classed as Schedule 2 if the cannabis drug contains cannabis, cannabis resin, the compound cannabinol or a cannabinol derivative. The cannabis drug will also be required to be produced for medicinal use in humans, and also be a medicinal product or used as an ingredient in a medicinal product.
REVIEW
The Home Secretary emphasized that today’s announcement does not pave the way towards legalizing cannabis for recreational use. The penalties for unauthorized supply and possession will remain unchanged.
However, on Monday, The Royal College of Psychiatrists announced it was reviewing its stance on the decriminalization of cannabis on the grounds that the British government would be able to regulate the strength of Cannabis legally sold on the market.The college is currently in the process of setting up a panel to review evidence from countries where the drug is already legal.
With just 3 weeks to go before the medicinal cannabis is legalized in the Uk, this could just be the beginning of a whole new change in laws surrounding cannabis.
President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Professor Ashok Soni OBE, said:
This news will be welcomed by many patients with serious health conditions.
The prospect of a future where safe and effective licensed cannabis-based medicines can be prescribed to help relieve suffering is genuinely exciting.
We will work with the NHS to help support specialists in making the right prescribing decisions.