Recreational cannabis is still prohibited in the UK, but they have approved of medicinal cannabis in recent years. Approved patients are able to access cannabis now on the National Health Service, if a specialist doctor prescribes it. It's still only available in a strict number of cases, although there are estimated to be roughly 80,000 specialist doctors that are able to give out the prescription.

Back in December, it was reported that a 32 year old woman had become the first patient in the UK to be prescribed cannabis.

There are still many people who are interested in accessing cannabis, who are prohibited from doing so. Not many people have received prescriptions since it became legal. And some doctors fear that they'd be out of business if they started writing prescriptions for cannabis. Many are reluctant to prescribe it and that's been frustrating families who need it.

"We’ve seen a huge reluctance from doctors and pharmacies to risk their licenses by facilitating access. The vast majority of people - except for those individual children – are still being forced to rely on the black market to source their medication.” - A. Fraser, patient access specialist with Grow Biotech, a medical cannabis research and advocacy firm

Educating doctors is going to take time but there are healthcare professionals who are working hard to share information about the potential of cannabis with them. When many families have exhausted all other options and are still suffering, it's more than unreasonable to refuse them access to a plant that could provide healing. It's going to take some time for the landscape to change drastically in the UK surrounding cannabis, hopefully many won't have to suffer for too long while they get things sorted out.

Reform shouldn't be this difficult, the need for reform is already long overdue, there's no reason that it should take years to establish freedom for people in the UK to access cannabis peacefully. In the meantime, children and families are suffering.

The people in the UK strongly support the legalization of cannabis.

It's estimated that 3 in 4 people would be willing to try cannabis if they were advised to try it by their doctor. At least 65 percent of the public supports cannabis reform. Although, that 65 percent support is split, with at least 25 percent preferring decriminalization over legalization.

So far, it's been reported that only 6 patients have received prescriptions for medicinal cannabis, despite the fact that doctors have been able to give out prescriptions for months now.

It's also reported that at least 17 children who were epilepsy patients have been refused prescriptions for medicinal cannabis, despite protests from campaigners who were trying to seek access for them.

Pics:
pic 1 - MIC
PIC 2 – via 13abc
pic 3- leafly

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