Has there been a return on investment for patients following the legalisation of cannabis?

It’s been three years since cannabis was legalised as a medication.
Are we where we expected to be? No, we are not, and while adjustments have emerged, the extent to which they have improved the patient situation is debatable and disappointing.

Prohibition of cannabis is a direct attack on our freedom, economics, health, and autonomy,
reinforced by a lack of accountability.
It’s unjust that people are prosecuted for attempting to improve their health, yet we have a medical programme that is purposely limited. Home cultivation is illegal, but that doesn’t consider the physical and mental health benefits it provides.

Licensed produced cannabis and home cultivation can coexist and create an environment in which
patients can thrive.
Patients in the United Kingdom who could benefit from cannabis treatment, including children with
cancer, people with gastrointestinal disorders, are still compelled to take over-the-counter CBD.
However, patient safety concerns and a lack of accountability makes it difficult for some to refer
patients to a suitable clinic.

Our industry has been heavily influenced by our international friends, so the excuse that it’s a new
industry is tenuous at best. Experience exists, and while no country appears to have gotten it right,
we have a chance to have an industry based on individualised care, co-production, and the NHS long-
term plan that benefits all patients who would benefit from supporting their endocannabinoid
system. There is a lack of gratitude for the shared knowledge of cannabis’ legacy, which is distinct
from its culture.

Prior to legalisation, Legacy was saving lives, and it’s not about right or wrong, but
about harm prevention, and three years later, more people are turning to the legacy market for
a solution.

The stealth prohibitionists are among us, leveraging buzzwords acquired while colonising the
patient experience that stifled medical advancement, innovation, research, and development.

This makes it difficult to identify them, but it isn’t impossible. The consequences are life-altering.
For example, due to product availability and lack of access, some patients’ end-of-life care might be
difficult and unnecessarily distressing.

The lack of available patient education is vague at best, and common themes are seldom
addressed.
Patients are depending on the information that may or may not be based on scientific
evidence, which is a disservice. Some of the material is inconsistent, which leads me to my point
about the absence of regulation in the UK medical cannabis industry for businesses and clinics, as
well as the untimely negative impact this has on patients. Does the motivation to improve the
patient experience exist? Or is it used to bolster justifications for NHS access? There are
straightforward approaches to address these difficulties. It’s upsetting since many patients’ lives
have been saved by the NHS, including mine, and the NHS is weaponized. Yes, the NHS can be
improved, and I’m pleased to be a part of the effort to improve patient outcomes.

Being a cannabis patient comes with its own set of challenges. At the best of times, navigating
clinician bias, using cannabis medications alongside other pharmaceuticals, navigating the NHS
and the private healthcare landscape is difficult.
The development of pathways with minimal consideration for the patient experience and staff who must use them, alongside the addition of hurdles born by unsuitable ideas fuelled by ego, celebrity, and capitalism.
Without payment, patients have access to minimal help and advice.

For example, giving cannabis patients advice on adverse effects, cultivar modifications, dose changes, or a specific brand of medicine is billable and isn’t the ideal way to treat people. Navigating employment, driving, and being a parent while also being a cannabis patient is not straightforward. These are a few of the subjects I’ll be covering in future articles. Remember to check them out.

Finally, it is vital to #FreeOurMedicine so that everyone who is eligible has access to CBMP
(cannabis-based medicinal cannabis), education, and safety, as well as to hold those responsible for
obstructing affordable, unbiased access to cannabis medicine accountable. Our philosophy has
always been #PatientsFirst, which is why Can Do was founded: to support patient safety, access,
education, research and development, and innovation so that we can all live the greatest lives
possible.

Healing, recovery, and management do not happen in a linear fashion; be kind to
yourself and others.

One thing that cannabis represents to me is hope. Hope for reshaping healthcare, hope for
humanity, and the hope that things can change. For every legal change, there was suffering. Until
there is accountability, cannabis is still prohibited. We and our medicine are not free.