BY Bethan Bee Rose
Photo credit: Releaf via Cannabis Images
Published in Weed World magazine issue 168
On November 1, 2023, cannabis advocates across the United Kingdom rejoiced at the realization that medical cannabis legalization was not a fleeting decision by the government. That particular date marked a five-year milestone for Great Britain’s legal market, which materialized into reality in 2018 following Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s urge for a review of the plant’s legal status – a move inspired by intense lobbying from plant medicine supporters and the heartstring-pulling cases of epileptic children Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley.
As time progresses, the market is continuously flourishing, as is the volume of medical cannabis imports in the U.K. Based on recently published figures from the Home Office, medicinal cannabis imports are on a rapid incline this year, with the volume of imports more than tripling in comparison with the 7,762 Kg of cannabis imported in 2022.
According to Cannabis Industry Council CEO Mike Morgan-Giles, “While the regulatory and policy environment remains challenging, it is positive to see this notable growth in the amount of imported medical cannabis. This indicates that awareness of cannabis medicines is increasing, and prescription patient numbers are rising. We hope this momentum will continue, ideally alongside growth in the UK cannabis market – which will help boost the economy and create jobs.”
The U.K. Imported 23,890 Kg of Cannabis Imported as of September 19th, 2023
Chris Philp MP, the Home Office minister in charge of drug policy, crime, policing, and fire issues, recently discussed the rise in medical cannabis imports with Commons reporters. While discussing the subject in response to a parliamentary question, he said that the U.K. had imported 23,890 Kg of cannabis by September 19th. This amount is based on the plant in base drug form.
The UK Home Office plays a vital role in shaping the legal cannabis scene blossoming across the British landscape. Late last year, the London-headquartered government office accepted recommendations from the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) regarding legal cannabinoid levels per unit of consumption. Reacting to the ACMD report, which was published on October 24th, the parliamentary member said that the government is planning on accepting the proposed limit of 50 micrograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other controlled cannabinoids.
Products of this kind are accessible via private medical clinics, and the average cost rests between £6 and £11 per gram. Considering this price and the influx of imports entering the country, the annual value of the market already exceeds £143 million; this estimate is based on the idea of all imports being distributed among patients.
Last September, recommendations to broaden medical cannabis access were submitted by the United Kingdom’s Home Affairs Committee. Addressing the government in their plea, committee members requested that eligible medical cannabis patients receive more comprehensive and streamlined access to unlicensed cannabis-based products for medical use under the National Health Service (NHS) — England’s publicly funded health care system — before the current Parliament ends.
The number of Medical Cannabis Patients in the U.K. is Progressively Climbing
It may still be in its early stages, but the U.K. medical cannabis market is moving in the right direction. Estimates pin the current number of patients at approximately 30,000- 32,000. An extensive list of medical cannabis cultivation companies are undergoing metamorphosis and shifting operations into the online sphere, something that could potentially starve demand for imports. Examples of some of the country’s leading medical cannabis clinics include Lyphe Clinic, Cantourage Clinic, and Releaf.
“While it is encouraging to see this apparent growth in the U.K. market, patients have found it difficult to get consistent supply, and the quality of the imports has been variable,” said Mark Heley, a representative of the U.K.-based cultivation company Glass Pharms which has just built a state-of-the-art 2.4-hectare facility in Wiltshire, England.
“We will be able to provide a secure supply chain for U.K. patients built here in the U.K. by the end of the year so that patients will no longer have to be concerned that when their prescriptions run out, they will not be able to get resupplied.”
Medical Cannabis Use in the U.K. Traces Back to Medieval Times
It may be basking in its newfound limelight. Still, medical cannabis is not exactly new to the U.K. Historians trace its early use to the Bronze Age, when they believe that the plant’s fibers were used to make Mediaeval herbal remedies. Rewind to sometime around 850 BC, and British farmers could have been harvesting cannabis crops for pharmaceutical purposes.
Fast forward to the 1990s, and archeologists discovered hemp fibers scattered around the grounds upon which Bronze Age weaponry lain in St Andrews, Scotland. Even Queen Victoria was believed to have used prescribed cannabis tinctures during the Victorian era.
Medical cannabis was legalized in the UK on 1 November 2018, following two high-profile cases of two epileptic children. Intense media attention spurred on with lobbying, which prompted change on a large scale. The Parliamentary law change emerged after the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, considered heartfelt stories from parents of children with debilitating conditions.
“Having been moved by heartbreaking cases involving sick children, it was important to me that we took swift action to help those who can benefit from medicinal cannabis. We have now delivered on our promise, and specialist doctors will have the option to prescribe these products where there is a real need,” said Home Secretary Sajid Javid after demanding an urgent review of cannabis-based medicinal products.
“I’m grateful to the expert panel – who have been considering cases in the interim – and to those who’ve worked hard to bring about this change at the earliest possible opportunity,” added Javid, whose decision was shared by members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) and the UK’s Chief Medical Adviser.
Cannabis-based medicine in the U.K. must be prescribed on the NHS per the approval of a specialist hospital doctor. Pharmaceutical cannabis treatments may also be offered under a specialist’s supervision. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and GPs cannot prescribe medical cannabis. Visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/medical-cannabis/ for more information.
