Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Jon Leeder, a 41-year-old from Caerphilly in south Wales, starts each day by taking medical cannabis before heading to his office job. He uses the treatment to manage his anxiety but has kept this information from his colleagues until recently speaking out to the BBC. Jon expressed concerns about how others might perceive him, saying, “I was a little bit nervous… Are they going to start thinking you come to work stoned?” He is among the tens of thousands in the UK who have private prescriptions for cannabis, a market that is growing despite limited NHS involvement.
Medical cannabis in the UK remains a contentious issue. The NHS has stated that the risks associated with its use are unclear. Meanwhile, some leading experts have voiced caution. Professor Sir Robin Murray, a former president of the European Psychiatric Association, told the BBC that private clinics often prescribe high-potency cannabis to patients with conditions such as depression and PTSD. “There’s a lot of evidence that high potency cannabis makes these conditions worse and indeed suicidal,” he warned. Prescribing medical cannabis requires a specialist consultant’s approval and proof that other treatments have failed. However, since the legal change allowing medicinal cannabis in 2018, NHS prescriptions of cannabis flowers—the dried buds—have rarely occurred, although private clinics have increased their offerings.
For many patients, sourcing medical cannabis privately comes at a significant cost, often several hundred pounds per month. Jon noted the positive impact cannabis has had on his wellbeing, providing relief akin to conventional antidepressants. Yet those using cannabis therapeutically often face practical and social challenges. Simple activities like driving, passing through airport security, or entering public venues require careful consideration, as patients must always carry their prescriptions to prevent legal repercussions. There remains a strong stigma surrounding cannabis use, leaving some individuals fearful of law enforcement encounters or workplace discrimination. Kat Turner, 26, recounted an incident in which a neighbor complained about the smell of cannabis coming from her flat, prompting her to place pillows near her door to reduce odor.
Kat, who uses medical cannabis to manage functional neurological disorder, described how hospital staff once told her she would have to leave the facility grounds to take her medication during a three-week rehabilitation stay. She expressed her anxiety over this restriction, especially given her physical vulnerability, stating: “They could have called the police, that was my fear. I use my front door as little as possible because I’m afraid of any smell going into the communal area.” Jon also spoke about his worries before revealing his medical cannabis use at work. He highlighted common misconceptions, saying, “In films and comedy programmes it’s funny to depict people who smoke weed as lazy and clumsy. But really, that’s not how it is. It just calms me down a little bit.” Both Jon and Kat’s experiences underline the ongoing challenges posed by stigma and lack of awareness around legally prescribed cannabis in the UK
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.