Medical Cannabis

This really depends on the type of work you carry out, employees do have a right to consume legally prescribed medication that improves their health. Your workplace may carry out a risk assessment or complete an occupational health referral, to understand how your medication may impact your work, and make reasonable adjusted where applicable, overall, there should be no discrimination with regard to your medications when used responsibly.

As stated, depending on your role: where you work operating heavy machinery, or work with vulnerable adults or children, it is important that you notify your employer, to support with reasonable adjustments, where applicable. However, where you work for the HGV, as they have strict guidelines around any controlled substance. Your presccriber will ensure they also put risk measures in place, such as a more balanced medication etc, to support you to sustain a quality of life.

You are allowed to use your medication when you need it and wherever you need it. However, it is always important to practice reasonable use of your medications, particularly if you’re on a dosage that leaves you slightly sedated. The general advice around controlled medications, in line with NHS patient safety strategy, is to ensure safe use of your medication, being mindful of your environment, especially if you are around vulnerable adults and children, as many medications that have a psychoactive effect, can temporarily impair judgement. Therefore it is important to be mindful of this, and practice safe use of your medications, if you have any concerns, always speak to your prescriber.

This really depends on several factors, the type of medication you have been prescribed and the THC level. The sensitivity/tolerance level of your endocannabinoid system and whether your medication is THC only, or THC and CBD, or just CBD. Feeling high is a side effect of legally prescribed medication containing THC. Generally, patients are able to continue on their day-to-day as normal.

This will depend on the form of medication you have been prescribed, currently there are 3 forms of cannabis based prescription:

Flower – which is consumed utilising a vaporiser -> it is illegal in the UK to smoke cannabis in a blunt/joint

Oil – which is consumed orally/sublingual-> it’s always best to put it under your tongue for 30 secs – 1 minute, to help it absorb into the blood stream quicker

Cartridges – it’s similar to an oil but you can vape it, i.e., pre-made vaporiser

Your quantity is dependent on your prescription, please use it as advised, and please not IT IS ILLEGAL TO SMOKE CANNABIS IN A JOINT in the UK, and you will be penalised. Penalties range from a fine (unlimited amount) to 5 – 7 years in prison sentence, as it is a class B drug.

Although people may seduce your with their positive experience, it is always important to remember, everyone’s health and biology is different, therefore it is always best to discuss this with your prescriber, as they hold your medical records and can support you to explore the best options for you. Always remember, cannabis is like any other medication, and you may need to experiment a bit to find what works best for you, this is all done under the guidance of a medical professional.

When vaporising medical cannabis flower, there is an aroma that is released. This can be overcome with an air purifier (if using indoors) or by even opening the windows as unlike smoking, the smell does not linger for a long time.

The NHS currently only prescribe for three main conditions – Multiple Sclerosis, Intractable Epilepsy and Chemotherapy Induced Nausea, generally with Sativax (a cannabis extract). It’s best to discuss with your GP if you can get a prescription for medical cannabis. If you are unable to do so through the NHS, then please refer to the private clinics.

It is also important to note, that currently only a handful of people are being prescribed other forms of cannabis medications on the NHS, despite it being completely legal for the NHS to prescribe, so let’s start speaking to our GPs about this too.