Get the real facts behind legal cannabis use
With a growing number of people using legal cannabis to relieve a variety of medical issues, JANE SYMONS finds out what you should be looking for
AQUARTER of a million people are now using legal cannabis. Some take it in prescriptiononly medicines for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, but the vast majority are using over-the-counter products to tackle a wide range of problems including pain, anxiety and insomnia.
Certain cannabis extracts have been available in health shops and pharmacies since 2016, but sales have sky-rocketed since the Government made it legal for doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis in November last year.
Former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips recently revealed how she used cannabis oil to conquer anxiety and depression triggered by a car accident, saying. “It was expensive. But worth it.”
So what is the difference between the cannabis which you can’t legally smoke and the cannabis extracts now sold openly on the high street?
And given the price tags can be high, what should you look for if you are thinking of trying a cannabidiol (CBD)? We asked two of the country’s leading experts to unravel the myths and misinformation around CBD oil and medicinal cannabis.
Why is there suddenly so much interest in medicinal cannabis?
There has been a resurgence in interest and research around cannabis.
But cannabis, also known as hemp, has been used for a range of health problems for at least 5,000 years.
“When the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain set up a review of the evidence in 1998, we discovered Queen Victoria used a tincture of cannabis during childbirth and to relieve period pains,” says Sultan ‘Sid’ Dajani, who is a spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and a community pharmacist with a special interest in the medical use of cannabis. “Although it fell out of favour, doctors could prescribe it up until 1971, when it was classified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act.” The turning point came early last year, with the high-profile cases of Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley, two children with severe epilepsy whose parents had to fight for them to be allowed to take cannabis extracts to control their seizures.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced a review of the law and allowed cannabis extracts to be used in exceptional circumstances. From November 1 last year, authorised doctors have been able to prescribe cannabis for a range of conditions.
What’s the difference between these medicines and the cannabis products being sold on the high street?
“Medicinal cannabis, which is available only on prescription, should not be confused with the CBD food supplements sold on the high street,” says Dr Saoirse O’Sullivan, associate professor at Nottingham University, who has been studying cannabis for more than 15 years.
“The supplements have much lower concentrations of CBD, and the source plant cannot have more than 0.2 per cent THC.”
What are THC and CBD and will they make me high?
Dr O’Sullivan says: “THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol; and CBD, which is short for cannabidiol; are just two of more than 100 different chemical compounds, known
as cannabinoids, found in the cannabis plant. Both have proven and sometimes similar medical benefits but research is focusing on CBD as it has no psycho-active side-effects.
“It might make you feel drowsy, but it won’t give you the ‘high’ associated with THC.”
Sid Dajani adds: “It is the THC in cannabis that is illegal, that’s why products sold on the high street cannot contain any more than 1mg of THC in total per bottle.
How does cannabis work and what can it be used for?
“It wasn’t until the early 1990s that scientists discovered we have specific cannabinoid receptors in almost every system in our body,” says Dr O’Sullivan, who acts as scientific adviser to Dragonfly Biosciences, which produces the only CBD product sold in Boots.
“This suggests cannabinoid compounds like CBD are likely to have a very broad range of benefits.
“Our bodies make chemicals known as endocannabinoids, which are very similar in structure to the cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant and act on the same brain receptors as cannabis.”
These endocannabinoids are so safe they are even found in breast milk and the World Health Organisation has confirmed CBD is safe and not addictive.
Dr O’Sullivan adds: “Clinical trials have shown CBD provides significant improvements in epilepsy, anxiety and Parkinson’s disease and based on pre-clinical evidence, there are more than 30 or more disorders that could benefit from treatment with CBD.
“These include chronic pain, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, dementia, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and insomnia.”
But Mr Dajani warns: “Because cannabis seemed to relieve so many conditions, apothecaries often over-promised what it could do.
“They also mixed up their own concoctions, with different strengths, and there is a danger of that happening again.”
Why don’t the CBD products sold on the high street say what they can be used for?
“Over-the-counter CBD products are being sold under the rules governing food supplements, so the manufacturers are not allowed to make any medicinal or health claims,” explains Mr Dajani.
“This means the concentrations and quality can vary significantly. With some brands there may even be variations between batches.
“And as there is no information about potential interactions with other medicines it’s important to speak to your GP before taking it.”
Can I take CBD alongside prescription medicines?
“CBD oil inhibits liver enzymes, so it may interfere with the breakdown of other medicines,” says Dr O’Sullivan.
Mr Dajani adds: “It is generally well tolerated and very safe but it can cause drowsiness, so be careful taking with alcohol, opioids such as co-codamol or anti-histamines.”
How much should I take?
Mr Dajani says: “Women tend to be more sensitive to cannabinoids and individual tolerances vary. Start with the lowest dose suggested on the label and do not exceed the recommended maximum.”
What should I look for when buying CBD?
Mr Dajani points out: “Although extracted from the cannabis or hemp plant, CBD and hemp oil are not the same thing. So, first of all, make sure you are buying CBD oil.”
His advice is to look for a high concentration of CBD and a brand which is THC-free. However, he warns some products described as “high strength” contain less CBD than the lowest dose of others.
The best way to compare is to look for the amount of CBD per drop, shown in the fine print.