Key Facts

• Three prescriptions for medical cannabis have been obtained through the NHS in three years.
• About 10,000 private prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines exist in the UK.
• Families often pay £2,000 to £700 a month for private prescriptions.
• The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018 legalised cannabis-based medical products.
• Cannabis-based medicines are approved for treating conditions like appetite loss in AIDS patients, nausea during chemotherapy, muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and rare childhood epilepsies.
• Epidiolex is a CBD-based medicine used for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
• Alfie Dingley's case helped change the law in 2018 to make medical cannabis legal in the UK.
• Alfie's case demonstrates the need for better access to Bedrolite, which has kept him seizure-free for over a year.
• Lucy Stafford's condition improved significantly with medical cannabis, reducing her reliance on expensive opioid treatments.
• Project Twenty21 facilitates medical cannabis at cost price and saves NHS funds compared to hospital treatment costs.
• Import-export problems since Brexit have made it difficult to import Bedrocan products from Holland.
• The Bill would set up a commission alongside MHRA processes for conventional pharmaceutical drugs.
• The commission's work could lead to more licensed cannabis-based medicines, including whole-plant extracts.
• Smith mentions the need for observational trials and alternative forms of evidence beyond RCTs.
• GPs are not currently allowed to initiate prescriptions for medical cannabis.
• Training more GPs could result in better outcomes for people with conditions like intractable epilepsy.
• Polling suggests that 24% of GPs would be willing to prescribe medical cannabis on an opt-in basis.
• 73% of GPs are open-minded about playing a role in prescribing medical cannabis.
• A fund to pay for private prescriptions could help patients with conditions like treatment-resistant childhood epilepsy.
• Joanne Griffiths' son, Ben, suffers from epilepsy and requires medical cannabis.
• Joanne has campaigned for four years to secure legalisation and access to medical cannabis.
• In 2019, Ben was prescribed Bedica oral solution (20 mg/1ml with 2% THC) and Bedrolite oral solution (100 mg/1 ml with CBD at 10%, less than 1% THC).
• Joanne has spent up to £2,500 a month on medical cannabis through fundraising.
• The individual funding request panel described Ben's response to treatment as 'exceptional' and noted demonstrable improvements.
• Ben's prescription was rejected by the local CCG and hospital trust policy.
• The law has allowed for prescriptions of medicinal cannabis since November 2018.
• Prescribing is a legal tool in the armoury of qualified doctors who take the Hippocratic oath.
• Three prescriptions are already being supported, but others face difficulties due to lack of scientific proof and medical ethics.
• The speaker refers to the Hippocratic oath taken by doctors.
• Families believe medicinal cannabis has a positive effect on seizures based on personal observation.
• There is a lack of scientific literature and evidence base due to illegality for 50 years and recent legalization.
• Jeff Smith is proposing a commission of experts to look at the evidence and recommend a way forward.
• People have used cannabis for thousands of years without finding any evidence of foetal abnormalities.
• No randomised controlled trials exist, but there is a wealth of evidence available.
• The need for a robust scientific evidence base to prescribe medical cannabis is highlighted.
• During the COVID pandemic, scientific establishment has adapted trial designs and methodologies.
• There are low numbers of participants currently using medicinal cannabis in the UK, limiting available cohorts for trials.
• The application of medical cannabis benefits those with conditions like intractable nausea, vomiting, chronic pain, and epilepsy.
• Only three NHS prescriptions for medical cannabis have been issued since 2018.
• Parents pay up to £2,000 a month for private medical cannabis treatments.
• The Bill requires the General Medical Council to operate a register of GPs who may prescribe cannabis-based products in England.
• It also establishes a commission to bring forward a framework for assessing cannabis-based medicines and recommending measures to overcome barriers to access on the NHS.
• The Medical Cannabis (Access) Bill aims to address access issues for those who need it.
• Teagan Appleby relies on medical cannabis, which her mother Emma must fund privately due to NHS restrictions.
• Changes were made in November 2018 to legalise the prescription of unlicensed medicines like medical cannabis.
• Medical cannabis is a legal medicine that can be prescribed through private prescriptions.
• The prescription element is causing concern as it limits availability on the NHS due to the lack of funding for unapproved medicines.
• Teagan Appleby needs medical cannabis to improve her serious health condition and suffers from fits without it.
• The speaker advocates for specific circumstances where medicinal cannabis can help.
• Sophia Gibson's case shows significant improvement since receiving medicinal cannabis prescriptions.
• Only three whole plant medicinal cannabis NHS prescriptions exist in the UK currently.
• Crispin Blunt chairs the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group Ltd.
• There are about 50,000 people growing their own cannabis for therapeutic use.
• Psilocybin remains in schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
• The Medical Cannabis (Access) Bill aims to improve access to medicinal cannabis.
• Some children have been hospitalised or unable to obtain prescriptions due to bureaucratic delays and financial constraints.
• Observational clinical trials were initially promised but later changed to RCTs by the NHS.
• The Government has supported clinical trials with NHS England and the National Institute for Health Research.
• As of March 2019, the then Health Secretary commissioned a review of NHS systems and processes for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines.
• The findings were reported in August 2019 and most recommendations have been implemented.
• Only three prescriptions have been granted in three years.
• Private providers charge extortionate amounts of money each month for treatment, making it out of reach for most patients.
• The main stumbling block is the financing of medical cannabis prescriptions.
• Elliot Colburn's constituent suffers from severe chronic migraines.
• The constituent found significant relief using medical cannabis sourced from the black market.
• There is a stigma associated with the word 'cannabis' that hinders access to medicinal use.
• The constituent's story highlights issues with private clinics and dispensaries, including supply chain disruptions, high costs, and sub-standard product quality.
• There are many thousands of people in similar situations as Elliot Colburn’s constituent.
• Medical cannabis has provided relief for individuals suffering from migraines, childhood epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and other conditions.
• The Bill would offer important measures to increase the number of doctors who could prescribe cannabis-based products.
• A campaign group, End Our Pain, estimated that only three children received NHS prescriptions for medical cannabis after law changes in November 2018.
• Zoe Kirkman's son Riley has significantly reduced seizures due to privately purchased THC and CBD products.
• Cannabis-based products for medicinal use were rescheduled to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 as of November 1, 2018.
• Specialist doctors on the GMC’s specialist register can prescribe unlicensed cannabis-based products if clinically appropriate.
• GPs may prescribe licensed cannabis-based medicines but cannot prescribe unlicensed ones without a specialist doctor's direction.
• Smith challenges claims that people would misuse medical cannabis as recreational cannabis.
• He cites specific medications, such as Epidiolex and Bedrolite, which are not used recreationally.
• The statement emphasizes the need to distinguish between medicinal use and illegal drug use.
• Clinical guidelines from NICE highlight the need for more evidence on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of unlicensed medicines.
• Access to cannabis-based products on the NHS remains limited due to lack of licensed products.
• The MHRA requires high standards of quality, safety, and efficacy for marketing authorisations.
• Sally-Ann Hart acknowledges the work done over four and a half years to explore all options.
• The debate aims to scrutinise proposed legislation properly before making decisions.
• Tonia Antoniazzi invites Conservative Members to join the APPG on access to medical cannabis under prescription.
• The Bill proposes establishing a commission to assess cannabis-based medicines in England.
• Studies suggest CBD may be an effective treatment for some rare types of epilepsy but have reported side effects.
• A national patient registry was introduced from 1 April to record patient outcomes.
• Cannabis use carries significant mental health risks, including increased risk of developing psychosis, depression, and anxiety.
• Thirty brain seizures a day would have a devastating impact on a child.
• The cost of treating children at home with medicinal cannabis is less than the hospital treatment cost.
• RESCAS—the Refractory Epilepsy Specialist Clinical Advisory Service—does not work effectively.
• Medicine has evolved without evidence-based principles for centuries.
• Ignaz Semmelweis's handwashing theory faced initial rejection in the medical community.
• Thalidomide, Fen-Phen, Vioxx, and other medications caused severe side effects after approval.
• 462 medicinal products were withdrawn from the market between 1953 and 2013 due to safety concerns.
• The debate has been ongoing for years regarding medical cannabis access.
• There are licensed treatments based on evidence that are already being prescribed.
• The MP worked previously for the national clinical audit commission.
• Experts believe the current process is not suitable for evaluating full plant cannabis extract.
• The NHS requested a broader review of evidence in 2019.
• Randomised control trials are considered inappropriate by some for certain cases involving cannabis-based medicines.
• Jeff Smith has not proposed the Bill to introduce unlicensed medicines.
• The purpose of the Bill is to allow clinicians to examine a broader evidence base for licensing medicines.
• There is concern about the impact of prolonged debate on parliamentary processes.
• The MP argues there is nothing in legislation or roles of existing bodies preventing them from considering any type of evidence.
• There have been discussions on setting aside pots of money for medical cannabis through NHS and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
• Emphasis is placed on the importance of retaining objectivity, especially when dealing with emotional issues like parental advocacy for treatments.