Should Medicinal Cannabis be Legalised?

by Emily Stone

The term ‘medicinal cannabis’ refers to any cannabis based medicine used to relieve symptoms. Previously in the UK, it was only possible to get a prescription for medicinal cannabis for children with rare and severe forms of epilepsy, and adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy. Even in those cases it would only be considered when other treatments weren’t suitable or had not helped previously. However that has now changed. New laws implemented by Sajid Javid on the 1st November has recategorised cannabis-derived medical products in order to place them in schedule 2 of the 2001 Misuse of Drugs Regulations, allowing clinicians to prescribe them. This change in regulations is a result of a series of high-profile cases involving children with severe epilepsy, who had been denied access to cannabis oil despite the calming effect it had on seizures.

            The benefits of medicinal cannabis have been extensively researched and written about. There are many diseases and conditions that can benefit from the use of medicinal cannabis. Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong condition that affects the brain and/ or spinal cord. It can cause serious disabilities. Cannabis in this case has been found to be safe and effective as a palliative treatment. There is even further promising research being carried out currently into whether cannabis may have a  curative effect by promoting the repair of the myelin sheath. Furthermore, recent clinical trials looking at the effect of cannabis on Crohn’s disease has found that 50% of Crohn’s patients achieved complete remission and over 90% achieved substantial improvement. There is conclusive evidence in support of the use of cannabis in the treatment of Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Currently there are three main cannabis containing treatments available for prescription or undergoing licensing. One of them, Epidiolex, is a purified liquid containing CBD (cannabidiol)- the chemical substance found in cannabis that has medicinal benefits. It does not contain any THC (the main mind-altering ingredient found in the cannabis plant), and so drug induced highs are not possible from the abuse of this drug. Epidiolex is not yet licensed in the UK, however, at the moment, it is undergoing strict quality and safety tests for licensing, as well as assessing the medical benefits and cost-effectiveness of the drug. It has been approved by the FDA to treat two rare forms of epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and is currently sold in the US.

            However there are many risk factors associated with the use of cannabis. The main risks of THC are psychosis, and the possibility of building a dependence on the medicine. There is evidence that suggests that regular cannabis use can increase the risk of developing a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia. A recent study published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics confirmed previous research, that robust cannabis use can cause schizophrenia. However further experiments were carried out and it was established that only those genetically susceptible to forms of psychosis developed schizophrenia-related changes after being exposed to cannabis. 

            In conclusion, in my opinion the legalisation of medicinal cannabis will have predominantly positive effects, if used and monitored correctly. There is an abundance of evidence to suggest a undeniable benefit in this move, however whether the research presented translates to a legitimate health benefit, instead of an excuse for the abuse of cannabis, remains to be seen.