[reece(:]

Specialist doctors in the UK will be able to legally prescribe cannabis-derived medicinal products by autumn, the home secretary has announced.

Those that meet safety and quality standards are to be made legal for patients with an "exceptional clinical need", Sajid Javid said.

As it is a devolved matter, it will require legislative change before it is enforced in Northern Ireland.

Legalisation follows high-profile cases involving severely epileptic children.

Many had previously been denied access to cannabis oil.

Others forms of cannabis will remain illegal.

'Exceptional circumstances'
Mr Javid's decision was made after the chief medical officer for England, Prof Dame Sally Davies, and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs said patients with certain medical conditions should be given access to the treatments.

Their advice was part of a review into medicinal cannabis launched by the home secretary following an outcry over Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley being denied access to cannabis oil.

The parents of the boys, who have rare forms of epilepsy, say it controls their seizures.

The Home Office recently granted them licences to access the treatments.

Mr Javid said: "Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory.

"That is why we launched a review and set up an expert panel to advise on licence applications in exceptional circumstances.

"This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need but is in no way a first step to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use."

Billy Caldwell's mother, Charlotte, said Mr Javid's announcement had been made on her son's 13th birthday.

"For the first time in months I'm almost lost for words, other than 'thank you Sajid Javid'," she said.

"Never has Billy received a better birthday present, and never from somebody so unexpected...

"But, crucially, my little boy Billy can now live a normal life with his mummy because of the simple ability to now administer a couple of drops a day of a long-maligned but entirely effective natural medication."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "The rescheduling of cannabis-derived medicinal products is a devolved matter and requires legislative change.

"The Department of Health notes the advice provided by experts during the two-part review commissioned by the Home Secretary.

"Consideration will be given to rescheduling cannabis-derived medicinal products in Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK

"In the interim, clinicians may still apply to the Home Office Expert Panel should they wish to use a cannabis-based medicine in the treatment of a patient."



Cannabis is classed as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it is judged to have no therapeutic value but can be used for the purposes of research with a Home Office licence.

The decision by the Home Office will put certain cannabis-derived products into Schedule 2 - those that have a potential medical use - and will place them in the same category as cocaine and heroin, among other drugs.

The Department for Health and Social Care and the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will now develop a clear definition of what constitutes a cannabis-derived medicinal product so they can be rescheduled and prescribed, the Home Office said.

In the meantime, clinicians will still be able to apply to an independent expert panel on behalf of patients wishing to access these products.

The home secretary said licence fees for applications made to the panel will be waived, and those already granted will not be charged.

'Safer medicines'
The home secretary's decision was welcomed by campaigners and health experts.

Donna Kinnair, from the Royal College of Nursing, said the decision was "very welcome".

Dr Tom Freeman, senior academic fellow at King's College London, said Mr Javid's decision would have a "substantial impact on research by facilitating the development of safer and more effective medicines".

Former justice minister Sir Mike Penning, who was among those appealing for Alfie Dingley to be given a special licence for medicinal cannabis, welcomed the announcement but said there were still unanswered questions about which treatments would be rescheduled.

"Any move to restrict medical cannabis in the UK to a very narrow range of derived products, each requiring full pharmaceutical trials, thereby blocking out the many products available overseas, will lead to great disappointment and be a missed opportunity."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44968386

A step in the right direction

[arista]

Yes Sajid David
made a better choice.

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by reece(:

A step in the right direction

Catch up to Canada and legalize it already!

[LaLaLand]

About damn time!

The benefits are phenomenal.

[Withano]

Excellent news.

[hijaxers]

Brilliant news - everyone i know signed a petition to him last weekend, public pressure sometimes is very rewarding.

Fantastic this will change so many lives.

[Alf]

I didn't realise we had so many medical scientists on the forum.

[Nicky91]

in other words legalisation of drugs so some could pretend they are ill and say they need medicinal cannibis for the treatment of their ''illness''

ummm no, we need professional doctors at all times, prescribing it then to the terminally ill patients, and not just for every patient, who just need it when they only have a cold for example, only for the seriously ill i would recommend medicinal cannibis

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by Alf

I didn't realise we had so many medical scientists on the forum.

Who claimed they were? I see no declarations to that in this thread. No one is prescribing or diagnosing. Just people who have recognized the need for this law change.

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

in other words legalisation of drugs so some could pretend they are ill and say they need medicinal cannibis for the treatment of their ''illness''

ummm no, we need professional doctors at all times, prescribing it then to the terminally ill patients, and not just for every patient, who just need it when they only have a cold for example, only for the seriously ill i would recommend medicinal cannibis

Not just the terminally ill.
It can already be prescribed by doctors for MS, this legislation now mean these kids with epilepsy can also receive treatment.
No room for people to pretend to have an illness, it will only be prescribed for certain illnesses that cannot be feigned.

[Beso]

What about addicts..can they get it prescribed?

[AnnieK]

Great news.

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Not just the terminally ill.
It can already be prescribed by doctors for MS, this legislation now mean these kids with epilepsy can also receive treatment.
No room for people to pretend to have an illness, it will only be prescribed for certain illnesses that cannot be feigned.

okay i just was being cautious with the cheering before, but hearing this now from you that it will only be prescribed for certain illnesses that cannot be feigned i am ok with this law now

[RileyH]

[RileyH]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

in other words legalisation of drugs so some could pretend they are ill and say they need medicinal cannibis for the treatment of their ''illness''

ummm no, we need professional doctors at all times, prescribing it then to the terminally ill patients, and not just for every patient, who just need it when they only have a cold for example, only for the seriously ill i would recommend medicinal cannibis

cannibis

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by RileyH

cannibis

yeah in dutch we say it like that

[kirklancaster]

There has been extensive 'Scientific/Medical' research carried out Worldwide into the beneficial effects of Cannabis on a whole range of physical and psychological illness for decades and the positive conclusions in ALL cases are irrefutable.

So this news is certainly 'welcome news' but 'Medicinal Cannabis Use' aside, I would urge caution for any euphoric 'ganja-heads' who believe that it is 'One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Cannabis-Users' because our Governments NEVER primarily act in the best interests of the Electorate, only in the best interests of themselves and the 'Mighty Dollar'.

When cannabis using is legalised - and it WILL be - several developments will follow:

1) HUGE amounts of money will change hands in brown mamilla envelopes that will lead to certain companies being awarded licences to grow medicinal cannabis and to other companies for producing cannabis 'cigarettes' which will be sold over the counter in shops as are tobacco products.

Not only will these cannabis cigarettes contain high levels of CBD (which is responsible for the medicinal benefits of ganja) and have much-reduced levels of THC (the intoxicating chemicals which produce the 'High') but they will be very expensive - mainly due to the taxes imposed upon the products by Government.

2) Domestic unlicenced cannabis growing will remain illegal and police forces throughout the nation will 'step-up' their 'war' on illicit cannabis 'farmers' and dealers with prosecution resulting in all cases.

3) The Government will bring in new laws which will in effect stop 'Hydrophonic' grow-shops from trading and the police will be seen to be more proactive in targeting such grow-shops to enforce such new legislation.

4) Stiff new sentences will be handed out by courts for anyone found guilty of any 'illicit' cannabis offences.

In the same way that the Volstead Act in America was repealed when the US Government realised that no amount of legislation can ever prevent the public from getting what it REALLY wants and that prohibition was merely allowing bootleggers to become fabulously wealthy by supplying that demand - vast revenues that could be flowing into government coffers - successive UK Governments have been researching ways to capitalise from the nation's growing cannabis use for decades.

Once they HAVE the way to do so they will protect that source of taxation income by any draconian means available, so whilst this is good news for sufferers of illnesses which can be greatly alleviated by cannabis-derived products, it will NOT be so good for Ganja-Heads and recreational users of cannabis should it ever be fully legalised.

Doubt me all you want, but time will prove me correct.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

There has been extensive 'Scientific/Medical' research carried out Worldwide into the beneficial effects of Cannabis on a whole range of physical and psychological illness for decades and the positive conclusions in ALL cases are irrefutable.

So this news is certainly 'welcome news' but 'Medicinal Cannabis Use' aside, I would urge caution for any euphoric 'ganja-heads' who believe that it is 'One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Cannabis-Users' because our Governments NEVER primarily act in the best interests of the Electorate, only in the best interests of themselves and the 'Mighty Dollar'.

When cannabis using is legalised - and it WILL be - several developments will follow:

1) HUGE amounts of money will change hands in brown mamilla envelopes that will lead to certain companies being awarded licences to grow medicinal cannabis and to other companies for producing cannabis 'cigarettes' which will be sold over the counter in shops as are tobacco products.

Not only will these cannabis cigarettes contain high levels of CBD (which is responsible for the medicinal benefits of ganja) and have much-reduced levels of THC (the intoxicating chemicals which produce the 'High') but they will be very expensive - mainly due to the taxes imposed upon the products by Government.

2) Domestic unlicenced cannabis growing will remain illegal and police forces throughout the nation will 'step-up' their 'war' on illicit cannabis 'farmers' and dealers with prosecution resulting in all cases.

3) The Government will bring in new laws which will in effect stop 'Hydrophonic' grow-shops from trading and the police will be seen to be more proactive in targeting such grow-shops to enforce such new legislation.

4) Stiff new sentences will be handed out by courts for anyone found guilty of any 'illicit' cannabis offences.

In the same way that the Volstead Act in America was repealed when the US Government realised that no amount of legislation can ever prevent the public from getting what it REALLY wants and that prohibition was merely allowing bootleggers to become fabulously wealthy by supplying that demand - vast revenues that could be flowing into government coffers - successive UK Governments have been researching ways to capitalise from the nation's growing cannabis use for decades.

Once they HAVE the way to do so they will protect that source of taxation income by any draconian means available, so whilst this is good news for sufferers of illnesses which can be greatly alleviated by cannabis-derived products, it will NOT be so good for Ganja-Heads and recreational users of cannabis should it ever be fully legalised.

Doubt me all you want, but time will prove me correct.

Good post Kirk,

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Good post Kirk,

Thank you, Cherie - I can still get motivated sometimes.

[Josy]

We are getting there.

[Livia]

Common sense has prevailed. If cannabis helps these people then of course they should have access to it. I saw the little boy on the news last night who was having 30 or so seizures a day, but with the cannabis, didn't have one for like, a month. No one would want to deny him, surely.

[ethanjames]

yes lads!

[AnnieK]

I honestly can't understand why there any opposition to it. If you read the medical benefits it seems a no brainer, especially since the medical grade cannabis does not get you "high" then it seemed a legitimate medication. Many painkillers I have taken have left me feeling far more out of it than a couple of joints ever did

[Underscore]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

in other words legalisation of drugs so some could pretend they are ill and say they need medicinal cannibis for the treatment of their ''illness''

ummm no, we need professional doctors at all times, prescribing it then to the terminally ill patients, and not just for every patient, who just need it when they only have a cold for example, only for the seriously ill i would recommend medicinal cannibis

Jesus ****ing christ

[kirklancaster]

Just to make something perfectly clear - in my previous post, I am NOT objecting to this very welcome good news, because I am all for it. It is overdue.