Cannabis News
Recent survey finds majority of Britons unaware a cannabis prescription is legally available
Cannabis prescription is available from specialist clinics, and has been for almost four years, but a recent survey by cannabis clinic Mamedica found 84% of British people are unaware of this fact.
4,000 respondents were surveyed, and 60% said cannabis would be an alternative to traditional medicine, while 59% said cannabis would be an option if recommended by a doctor. A majority (56%) of survey respondents were unaware that cannabis medicines are available on prescription in any case.
The use of cannabis has been legal in Britain since November 2018, with an estimated 16,000 patients receiving cannabis to treat chronic pain and anxiety. In spite of this, the results suggest that there are still significant communication issues surrounding medical cannabis. Eighty-one percent (81%) of those surveyed said that there is still a stigma surrounding cannabis in Britain, and 72% said that education about cannabis, particularly medical cannabis, needs to improve.
Jon Robson, founder of Mamedica, told a news source: “Britain is clearly at a turning point when it comes to cannabis prescriptions. While the law has changed, it’s clear that there’s been a failure of communication.
“There are believed to be millions of people in this country who could benefit from medical cannabis and so far, many of them remain unaware that there is a safe, legal way to benefit from a plant that has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of chronic conditions.
“It’s encouraging to see that so many people in Britain are now open to using medical cannabis, what’s now needed is education that this medicine is legally available in Britain, and improves the lives of patients suffering from long-term conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety.”
Patients are suffering due to fear, stigma and financial barriers
Speaking on behalf of PLEA, External Relation Lead Pious told a news source: “Since laws changed in 2018, only a handful of cannabis prescriptions have been issued by the NHS. Patients unable to fund private cannabis prescriptions are suffering due to the fear, stigma and financial barriers preventing them accessing this safe, and potentially life-changing, treatment. Even under the current regulatory framework, over a million patients are suffering from debilitating conditions that could benefit from medical cannabis access if they knew how to access it.”
Medical cannabis users are also experiencing issues when consuming medicine in public, due to a lack of education about the medicine. “Last week one of our team was stopped by police whilst legally vaping outside a station and another refused entry to a venue,” Pious adds. “On both occasions they were carrying their medication exactly within the guidelines in its original packaging and with supporting documentation. Of incidents reported to us, it is always from flower and not oil products, with stigma mostly attached to the smell and automatically assumed to be illicit use.
“Until authorities are better educated on patients’ legal status, discrimination will continue. Medicating in public, being challenged, arrested or having their medication seized is still a daily fear for many patients, jeopardising their wellbeing in the process.”
