The legalisation of medicinal cannabis in the UK: moving towards the inevitable

To recap, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) gave its verdict on the question of legalisation. The ACMD said the drug’s status should be changed from schedule 1 to schedule 2. That means it can be prescribed by doctors.

This was part two of the home secretary’s recent review. In part one, the government’s chief medical adviser Professor Dame Sally Davies had given the same verdict. She said the drug “should be prescribed under controlled conditions by registered practitioners for medical benefit.”

With such unambiguous advice, it seems inevitable that the government will change the law. This is remarkable, though history shows how fast things move when societal attitudes shift.

Needless to say, there are still many unanswered questions.

The ACMD recommended that “only products meeting (an agreed) standard and definition should be given medicinal status.”

But what is this standard? And how will the drug be licensed and distributed?

Meanwhile, some voices believe the government’s scientific advisers are being too cautious. After all, Schedule 2 groups cannabis with drugs such as ketamine and morphine. Most fair-minded people would agree that it hardly belongs in this company.

Still, yesterday’s developments must be considered good news. Medicinal cannabis appears to have the potential to treat a huge number of conditions.

Regrettably, after 50 years of prohibition, research has been limited. Let’s hope that, with legalisation, that work can begin in the UK.

The evidence from around the world shows that capital markets offer the best way to fund such important research.

Here at Memery Crystal, we believe so. We want the UK to be at the forefront of the emerging European sector. That’s why we will shortly publish the first edition of our free medicinal cannabis report.
It outlines the legal status of the drug around the world, the major players in the market, industry projections and more. To register your interest in receiving the report, click here.