Has The Door Finally Opened To Medical Cannabis?

Perhaps we need to understand what medical cannabis is before I answer that question.

Currently there is one approved cannabis medicine that can be prescribed called Sativex but at present it is only given after all other medication has been tried as a last resort and only for people who have muscle spasms as a Multiple Sclerosis related symptom.

This is a very narrow group of people that can use the medicine. This product contains CBD like the beautiful products we have here at CBD One and THC – the cannabinoid that is psychoactive which means it can get you high or stoned.

So medical cannabis has THC in it which is currently a schedule one drug which means it is regarded as having no medicinal value and can only be used for research with a licence. As of November 1st this year it will be classed as a schedule two drug because there is growing evidence that it has medicinal benefits and it no longer has to be used as a last resort but can be prescribed if your doctor feels it will be appropriate for your problem.

Cannabis research has exploded in the last three decades from just 200 research papers in the early nineties to approximately 20,000 on PubMed today.

However, that does not mean the door has been opened to us all charging down to the surgery today to get our hit of cannabis!

Because it is psychoactive you cannot drive whilst using it and many work places would sack you if they found you had THC in your system as it can affect your state of mind. THC is also a substance that does not agree with everyone, it can make you feel nauseous or anxious amongst other issues. Of course it can also make you euphoric and happy! I don’t think cannabis has ever caused anyone to have a fight whilst using it or kick in a shop window…unlike a drug we find acceptable called alcohol.

Here is a description of how Sativex can make people feel:

“The most common side effects with Sativex are dizziness and tiredness. Some people may also feel depressed or confused, may feel over-excited or lose touch with reality, may have difficulties with memory or trouble concentrating and may feel sleepy or giddy.”

Though there is no doubt it does help people too so we must not look at that description negatively and especially compared to the long list of horror story side effects most modern pharmaceutical drugs come with.

Fortunately, this does not happen with CBD type products which are incredibly safe to take and those of you who regularly use CBD One products will undoubtedly recognise the benefits that cannabis products can bring to your quality of life.

Thus it is fair to say the door has opened to the wider use of medicinal cannabis but it will not be suitable or appropriate for everyone.