Private clinics, imports, local production: how the UK is facilitating access to medical cannabis

The United Kingdom has legalized medical cannabis in late 2018, following the cases of Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley, two children with a rare form of epilepsy and those treating themselves with cannabis have garnered strong public support. Since then, however, the country has faced numerous challenges in actually providing cannabis to patients, whether due to stricter restrictions than those imposed on other medications, a lack of doctors willing to prescribe it, or a reluctance to authorize reimbursable prescriptions by the British National Health Service (NHS) and bureaucratic delays in importing them.

However, some recent decisions by the British government suggest that the United Kingdom is changing course.

Facilitate Prescriptions

A first shot, taken March 2, 2020, was a relaxation of import requirements. Authorized medical cannabis wholesalers will now be able to import larger quantities of cannabis products and hold inventory for future distribution. This will allow patients to receive their treatment within a few days rather than several months.

A second one, taken April 29, 2020 As a direct response to the coronavirus crisis, a set of measures was introduced that will make it easier for pharmacists to dispense medications in emergencies or during periods of severe shortages. This preventive measure does not specifically refer to cannabis-based products for medical use (CBPMs), but it does encompass them and takes into account the needs of patients who use medical cannabis for various health reasons.

A third measure was to authorize a clinical trial of medical cannabis for 20,000 patients. This pilot project aimed to collect patient data on a larger scale than the official system in order to facilitate in fine Prescriptions for medical cannabis. Announced in November 2019, the first prescriptions were issued in early May.

Private Clinics

Since NHS prescriptions are time-consuming and difficult to obtain, private clinics began opening in early 2019 to effectively provide cannabis to patients. The teams include specialists in pediatric and adult neurology, palliative care, psychiatry, gastroenterology, acute general medicine, and neuropathic pain, who adhere to the formal prescribing guidelines established by the NHS, the MHRA and the GMC.

A chain of clinics has also announced that it should be coming soon be able to conduct remote consultations for patients who are unable to come to the clinic due to mobility issues or geographic limitations.

However, the cost of these clinics keeps cannabis out of reach for the least well-off patients. The initial consultation costs £250, followed by £150 per specialist, not including the cost of treatment which rises between £600 and £700 per month.

Domestic production

Although cannabis is still illegal in the United Kingdom, it is nonetheless the leading producer of legal cannabis in the world. In 2016, the country produced 95 metric tons, according to United Nations figures, and exported more than 2 metric tons that year, representing 70% of the legal quantities at that time.

Several farming sites have recently emerged, including this site in Scotland, to supply the domestic market with cannabis oil. In 2019, several cannabis production facilities were established in Great Britain, for example in a secret spot in Wiltshire or in the Somerset. GW Pharmaceuticals has also been growing cannabis in Kent for several years to source cannabinoids for its Sativex and Epidiolex products.