Medical cannabis myths
It’s perfectly normal to have questions about medical cannabis.
Here we debunk some common myths and misconceptions.
Myth 1: Medical cannabis is illegal
Medical cannabis has been legally available on prescription in the UK since 2018.
Our doctors prescribe medical cannabis to thousands of patients with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, endometriosis and a host of other conditions.
Globally, an estimated 6.5 million people now receive medical cannabis treatment. This includes approximately 200,000 people in the UK who access treatment from specialist clinics like Wellford.
It’s illegal to smoke medical cannabis.
There are also important clinical reasons not to smoke medical cannabis. The combustion involved in smoking destroys therapeutic compounds and makes it difficult to manage appropriate dosing.
Medical cannabis is available in a variety of other forms including as a vape, oil, edibles, capsules and topical creams. Your doctor can help you find the best one for you.
Myth 2: There’s no evidence medical cannabis works
There’s now strong evidence that medical cannabis can relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for people living with a range of long-term and often debilitating conditions.
But don’t just take our word for it.
In a comprehensive evidence review published in 2017, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines found evidence for prescribing medical cannabis for:
- anxiety
- chemotherapy-induced nausea
- chronic pain
- dementia
- depression
- multiple sclerosis
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- sleep disorders
- Tourette syndrome.
In 2018, the UK’s Chief Medical Advisor said there’s now “conclusive evidence of the therapeutic benefit of cannabis based medicinal products for certain medical conditions and reasonable evidence of therapeutic benefit in several other medical conditions”.
More recently, Project Twenty21 (T21) collected real-world data from 4,000 UK patients prescribed medical cannabis for anxiety, chronic pain, depression, PTSD, and sleep disorders.
The T21 team published a host of studies showing real-world reduction in symptoms, improvements in quality of life and sleep and sustained benefits for up 12 months for some patients. They also found patients with chronic pain relied much less on opioid painkillers.
The evidence base for prescribing medical cannabis continues to grow rapidly, with new research published almost every day.
Myth 3: Medical cannabis is bad for mental health
Thousands of patients across the UK are prescribed medical cannabis for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions.
There’s evidence to suggest medical cannabis can help improve mood and mental health, including for those who haven’t found relief with conventional medicines or talking therapy.
Here are a few recent studies:
- Research involving 698 UK adults prescribed medical cannabis for depression found it reduced anxiety and depression and improved sleep quality and health-related quality of life.
- Another study involving 278 Australian adults with anxiety, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis or PTSD found medical cannabis improved quality of life, mood, sleep and general health.
- This study involving 463 UK adults with PTSD found medical cannabis improved quality of life and overall health.
At Wellford, patients with mental health challenges have an initial consultation with an experienced psychiatrist who will take the time to listen to you and create a personalised treatment plan based on your unique needs.
You’ll also have a free follow-up consultation four weeks later with your psychiatrist to check your progress and adjust your treatment if needed.
Myth 4: Medical cannabis is just like street-bought cannabis
An estimated 1.8 million people in the UK still self-medicate with street-bought cannabis.
However, street-bought cannabis is very different to medical cannabis.
It’s impossible to know what’s in street-bought cannabis, where it’s come from or its THC strength. It could be mixed with other products and there is no guarantee that street-bought cannabis is safe.
Medical cannabis by contrast is regulated and controlled, so you know exactly what you’re getting, including the strain and THC levels.
That’s because medical cannabis is grown in pharmaceutical-grade conditions, with everything from climate to harvesting carefully calibrated to ensure consistency.
Wellford is one of just two operators in the UK to grow, process and dispense our own strains of medical cannabis. This means we can guarantee both the quality and availability of our products.
And our Money Back Guarantee means if you’re prescribed a Wellford product that doesn’t meet our quality standards, we’ll refund you within 24 hours.
Medical cannabis makes you high
The vast majority of patients tell us they don’t experience any side effects from medical cannabis.
That’s because our doctors carefully choose the right product, strength and dose for each individual patient.
The main psychoactive ingredient in medical cannabis is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Depending on your condition, most patients start on a low dose of THC which is reviewed as treatment progresses.
And because the quality of medical cannabis is consistent, most patients are able to take their medication without feeling impaired in any way.