In a landmark victory for medical marijuana supporters, the drug is expected to become legally prescribed by doctors in the UK this autumn.
A landmark case was also won, where children with severe epilepsy were granted access to cannabis oil. BBC reports that Home secretary Sajid Javid cleared what the medical cannabis can be used for. According to him, medical cannabis that is made to exact safety and quality specifications will be legally available to patients that have conditions that need medical marijuana.
It was previously reported that a record number of people had been previously denied cannabis oil. Other forms of cannabis-those that are for 'recreational' use-will remain illegal. The decision was reached right after Prof. Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer, and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs advised certain patients were allowed the use of the oil.
The Independent UK says Mr. Javid based his decision on some cases where sick children were in dire need of cannabis oil. Because of the restrictions imposed by the government, these children were denied what could be potentially a life-changing treatment. He added, however, that recreational use remained outlawed by the legislation.
Dame Sally Davies and the Advisory Council both laid out plans on how the rules would work. Doctors will be able to prescribe these drugs to patients who truly need it following a check-up, provided the medical cannabis they are prescribed are certified to be used as a treatment. It also placed a provision where the cannabis oil is covered by the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001's Schedule 2, or under the law covering the production and supply of drugs.
Two patients, Billy Caldwell and Murray Gray, will benefit from the legalization of cannabis oil.
Billy suffers from a rare type of epilepsy, and the license granted to him by the Home Office will help him gain access to cannabis oil. His mother, Charlotte, is confident that this will help control his seizures. Karen, the mother of Murray, shares the same sentiment. She added that this law was a win for all who really needed medical cannabis and its benefits.
