The Home Secretary has announced that cannabis as a form of medication will be legalised by specialist doctors in the UK.
Sajid Javid has stated that this will be available for those with “exceptional medical need” and that other forms of cannabis will remain illegal.
This has been legalised following the serious cases of Alfie Dingley and Billy Cladwell who were previously denied cannabis to treat their rare forms of epilepsy. This led to a public outcry recently as their parents said that it treated and controlled their seizures.
Licences were given to them both so that they could obtain access the treatment.
Javid’s decision to legalise the substance for medical use was due to the chief medical officer of London, Prof Dame Sally Davies and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs who both advised him that those with certain medical circumstances and conditions should be allowed to use it.
“Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory. That is why we launched a review and set up an expert panel to advise on licence applications in exceptional circumstances. This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need but is in no way a first step to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use.”
