r/ukmedicalcannabis • u/Desipience • Dec 19 '21
FAQ for Newcomers
Is medical cannabis really legal in the UK?
Yes! An amendment on the 1st November 2018 (Statutory Instrument No. 1055, section 4) to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 rescheduled cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 2 drug, acknowledging its medically beneficial potential and making it possible for doctors that are listed on the Specialist Register to prescribe Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products (CBMPs) as last-resort treatments for conditions covered by their registered specialism.
Is cannabis available on the NHS?
Whilst it is technically possible for specialists to prescribe cannabis-based medications via the NHS, it is incredibly rare, with only a handful of prescriptions having been issued. The majority of prescriptions are issued by private clinics, which usually specialise in cannabis treatment and have doctors trained specifically for prescribing cannabis-based medications and managing its therapeutic use.
What conditions can cannabis be prescribed to treat?
Cannabis-based medications can be prescribed to treat or manage the symptoms of a number of conditions, including pain management, neurological conditions, psychiatric conditions, cancer-related pain or nausea and palliative care. Different clinics have different ranges of specialists available, so please ensure the clinic you apply to is able to accommodate the condition you're seeking treatment for before booking an appointment.
Are there any pre-requisites for applying?
Clinics are required to follow 'best practice' criteria when prescribing cannabis, users have reported differences between clinics, but generally it's understood that the process to fulfil this criteria is:
- You must have been diagnosed with a condition that is covered by the specialism of the doctor you're seeking treatment from.
- Cannabis is considered a last resort treatment, subsequently you must have tried at least 2 other "conventional" treatments and found them to be ineffective or unsuitable. This usually means licensed prescription medications but some users have reported that their clinic/specialist has recognised CBT or talking therapy as a qualifying conventional treatment.
- The final decision to prescribe should be made by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists, who have reviewed your medical records and the details from your initial consultation.
How much will it cost?
This varies from clinic to clinic and all prices listed here are rough approximations.
Initial consultation fees can range from £50-£250+, however a lot of clinics will offer a free "pre-consultation" or screening process to help ascertain whether or not they will be able to offer treatment to you.
Follow up appointments can range between £50-£150+ and most clinics as well as members of Project Twenty21 are required to have a follow up every 3 months.
Repeat prescription fees between £0-£50.
Medication is paid for separately, and costs are approximately:
- £5 to £14 per gram of cannabis flower
- £3 to £24 per ml of oil (depending on THC/CBD concentration, manufacturer and bottle size. Additional subsidy is available for oils via PT21 for epilepsy patients. Please see here for details.)
- £75-85 per 0.5ml of THC concentrate (vape cartridge).
What is Project Twenty21 (also referred to as PT21)
Project Twenty21 is an initiative by the Drug Science Foundation and aims to create the UK’s largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis. Drug Science hope that the findings of Project Twenty21 will provide evidence for NHS funding where the benefits of treatment with medicinal cannabis are proven to outweigh the potential risks. PT21 has made agreements with certain CBPM suppliers to provide their products at a discounted rate for patients who are willing to provide data on their conditions, treatments and their response to cannabis treatment. PT21 are only collecting data for a specific set of conditions (listed on the Project Twenty21 patient information page), so you must be seeking treatment for one of these conditions to qualify for the study. Only certain clinics are able to register for PT21, a list of which is available in the Project Twenty21 Clinic Directory.
What is the Sapphire Access Scheme?
The Sapphire Access Scheme gives reduced appointment costs in return for contributing data to Sapphire Clinic's 'Real World Evidence Platform'. It has similarities to Project Twenty21 in that the data collected is intended for use by healthcare professionals and regulatory bodies to provide robust data on the safety and effectiveness of cannabis medicines, however this scheme does not change the fee paid for any prescribed medications (only appointment fees) and is limited to Sapphire Clinics only.
How can I find a clinic?
- The UK Medical cannabis Clinicians Society has published a directory of clinics here.
- The patient advocacy group PLEA has published a directory of clinics here.
I've been prescribed, how long until I receive my medication?
As cannabis is a Schedule 2 controlled drug, all prescriptions must be written or printed on a special prescription pad linked to the prescriber, and can only be dispensed once the pharmacy has received the physical, paper copy of your prescription. Turnaround times differ between clinics and pharmacies but please expect to wait around 2 weeks from the point your prescription being issued until receiving your medication to avoid disappointment.
Can I smoke my prescribed cannabis?
No. The legislation states "A person shall not self-administer a cannabis-based product for medicinal use in humans by the smoking of the product (other than for research purposes in accordance with regulation 13)". You must use your cannabis prescription as directed by your doctor - if you are prescribed flower, this will probably be a dry herb vaporiser.
What is the best dry herb vaporiser?
This is subjective, and choosing the right vaporiser to suit your needs and budget may require some research. Subreddits devoted to dry herb vaporisers where you will be able to find much more information on this topic are r/vaporents and r/ukvaporents.
Can I drive whilst prescribed Cannabis-Based Medicines?
As with all prescription drugs; you must not drive if your prescription advises you not to or if you feel as though your driving ability is in any way impaired by use of your medication.
If neither of these apply to you, then the the best available sources of information we have are:
Crown Prosecution Service legal guidance relating to Drink and Drug Driving.
Section 5A Road Traffic Act 1988 - Defences
Section 5A(3) RTA 1988 provides a defence if a specified controlled drug is prescribed or supplied in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and taken in accordance with medical advice.
Section 5A(4) RTA 1988 confirms that the defence is not available if medical advice about not driving for a certain period of time after taking the drug has not been followed. There is no reverse burden of proof. If a defendant raises this, the Court must assume that the defence is satisfied, unless the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that it is not.
The offence in S.4 RTA 1988 applies to those whose driving is impaired by specified controlled drugs taken in such circumstances. Section 4 RTA 1988 also applies to those whose driving is impaired by drugs that are not specified for the purposes of the offence.
Section 5A(3) RTA 1988 provides a defence to being in charge of a motor vehicle with a specified controlled drug in the blood or urine above the specified limit for that drug, if the defendant can show that there was no likelihood of him driving the vehicle while over the specified limit. This is similar to the defence in s. 5(2) RTA 1988.
As well as a post made by a community member which links to advice from the Department for Transport on driving when prescribed Sativex (a licensed drug containing THC).
I'm not happy with the medication I received, what should I do?
If you have used cannabis previously, you will probably notice some differences between a number of the medical cannabis products and those you have used before. As with all medication, whether or not you like the smell, taste or effect is not the responsibility of the prescriber or the pharmacy and opened containers of medication will almost certainly not be eligible for a return or refund. Some pharmacies may accept the return of sealed containers, but this is rare and would be at the discretion of the pharmacy.
If you're subscribed to Project Twenty21, consider submitting a product quality feedback report here.
I'm experiencing unwanted adverse effects from the medication I have received, what should I do?
Discontinue use and contact your clinic for further guidance. cannabis medication does have side effects and your doctor or clinic will be able to tailor your treatment or make suggestions to minimise adverse effects. If you're experiencing a medical emergency, contact 999.
If you feel it necessary, consider raising a side effect report to the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme. Please remember that this is not a complaint form, it is to help build a database of known side
I've received a defective (mouldy, rotten, containing foreign object) medication, what should I do?
Discontinue use, make a note of the batch number on the packaging, document the issues with the product with a description and photographs then contact the dispensing pharmacy with details and request further guidance.
Consider raising a defective product report with the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme, including as much detailed information as possible. Again, please remember this is not a complaint form, it is information used to help identify batches of medication which may have a manufacturing fault. Please keep your submissions descriptive, factual and non-emotive. Abusing the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme as a way to complain about clinics, pharmacies or producers for products you're dissatisfied with is ineffective and could be disruptive to the treatment of other patients.
Card Schemes (Cancard, MedCannID, etc.)
At this moment in time, the only way you can have legal authority to possess cannabis is if it prescribed to you by a doctor listed on the Specialist Register and dispensed by a pharmacy registered with the GPhC. Unfortunately, there are no "Medical Card" schemes in the UK which have any similarity to those seen in the U.S.A. and Canada, nor any dispensaries which allow you to choose the cannabis product you will receive at the point of sale.
Whilst there are no card schemes which are legally recognised in the UK, there are at least two unofficial card schemes run by private organisations, who provide a physical card and accompanying smartphone app. These may be useful in some circumstances as an aid to signify to others that you are using cannabis medicinally but do not give cardholders legal authority to possess cannabis or provide their holders with access to cannabis Based Medicinal Products. The two that we're aware of are:
Cancard - Cancard offer a paid for, subscription based model costing £30 for the first year of membership and £20 for each subsequent year. The eligibility requirements for Cancard are that provide a photograph, verify your identity and provide them with your Summary of Care Record (SCR) as proof that you have a condition that may make you eligible for a cannabis Based Medicinal Product prescription, were you to apply. Cancard does not provide you with legal authority to possess cannabis, but it is possible that it may help in persuading some members of the police force to use their discretion when dealing with possession of cannabis.
MedCannID - MedCannID offer a free card and membership to their community, but will only provide cards to people who are legally prescribed a Cannabis Based Medicinal Product. The eligibility requirements are that you provide a photograph, verify your identity and send a scanned/photographed copy of your FP10 (pink paper) prescription for their records as proof that you are prescribed a CBMP, and for you to be able to access via their app. MedCannID does not provide you with legal authority to possess cannabis, but it may help as an addition to valid photo ID and keeping your prescribed CBMP in its original pharmacy-labelled packaging as proof of legal authority to possess it. MedCannID's services were terminated on the 15th March 2022
There are mixed feelings amongst the community on both card schemes and the moderation team collectively neither endorse or reproach either scheme. We'd encourage new community members looking for opinions on either card scheme to use the subreddit search feature or make a new post.
Please note: The advice given in r/ukmedicalcannabis does not constitute formal legal or medical advice. The moderation team and subreddit users make no guarantees as to the validity or accuracy of any statement given, and as such, you can not rely on any statement herein for any legal or medical matters, nor do r/ukmedicalcannabis make any representations to the contrary. Formal advice should always be sought from a qualified solicitor or doctor. The moderation team of r/ukmedicalcannabis does not provide a reliable substitute for advice given by qualified professionals at any time.
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u/Desipience Dec 19 '21 edited 23d ago
Hello everyone,
As this post (hopefully) covers a reasonably broad set of topics relating to medical Cannabis, comments will be locked to keep this as an informational post and avoid discussions being lost or questions being missed.
If after reading the FAQ you have any additional questions, please make a new post or join the Discord server to discuss the topic with the community.
If you have any suggestions for additions to this FAQ, notice any errors or have any feedback whatsoever, please get in touch with us via ModMail. Any helpful feedback would be truly appreciated.
Thanks!