The majority of British people would consider using cannabis as a treatment, particularly if prescribed by a doctor.
A study by the cannabis clinic Mamedica found that 60% of their survey would use medicinal cannabis rather than traditional medicine.
Another 89% would consider taking cannabis if it was prescribed by their doctor and 59% were unaware that cannabis is available via prescription.
The study also found that 89% of the people surveyed still felt there was a negative stigma around the drug and 70% believe further education on cannabis was necessary.
17,000 people in the UK are currently receiving a prescription for cannabis, but the majority of people still source cannabis from the black market.
The drug was made available for prescription in November 2018. The plight of two children, Alfie Dingley and Billy Caudwell, who both suffered from severe epilepsy were prescribed cannabis for seizures.
The NHS has been reluctant to prescribe the drug until further research is completed to show its efficiency.
The level of THC in prescribed British cannabis is much lower than in cannabis that is obtained legally which promotes the health benefits rather than the action of getting high.
Jon Robson, founder of Mamedica, stated, “Britain is clearly at a turning point when it comes to medical cannabis. While the law has changed, it’s clear that there’s been a failure of communication”.
“There are believed to be millions of people in this country who could benefit from medical cannabis – and so far, many of them remain unaware that there is a safe, legal way to benefit from a plant that has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of chronic conditions”.Â
