UK Experts Warn Of Dangerous NHS Medical Marijuana Trials For Epilepsy Patients, More Updates From Europe
The last few years have brought many changes to cannabis laws across Europe. Here are some of the latest cannabis developments from the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Poland.
UK Experts Raise Concerns About Two Trials On Medical Marijuana And Epilepsy
University of College London is preparing to launch two trials investigating the safety and efficacy of cannabis-based medicines on patients with rare forms of epilepsy. The trials are funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NHS) and should involve 500 NHS patients who meet the criteria. The first phase is planned to start in 2025.
The need for cannabis as medicine was highlighted by two cases involving children with severe epilepsy. One is Billy Caldwell and the other is Alfie Dingley. They were both using cannabis low-dose THC oil to treat their seizures. Thanks to them and their families, the need for cannabis as medicine was brought to the public. The UK decided to embrace it in 2018.
While it is possible to access medical marijuana through the NHS, this rarely occurs and only in severe cases of epilepsy, chemotherapy-caused nausea or certain cases of muscle stiffness associated with MS. Since medical marijuana is not widely available via the NHS, many families struggle to afford life-saving medicine for their children.
For these reasons, the trials are welcomed, with many hoping they will provide a path to easier NHS-covered access to medical marijuana. …