PHILIPPA’S TOP TIPS ON CANNABIS AND MEDICAL CANNABIS

Here’s the latest medical advice on CBD and what conditions it can help

The cannabis or marijuana plant has been used for centuries. It can be smoked, inhaled, eaten or used in medication.

Cannabis contains two main substances – cannabinoids (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The THC component makes you ‘high’. it can lead to feelings of being relaxed, euphoric, more sensitive to light and sound but can also lead to anxiety, low mood, paranoia, even psychosis. Long term use can affect memory or concentration.

There has been a lot of interest in whether the components of cannabis may have medical proper ties. One of the difficulties is that the active component of cannabis is THC which makes you high.

Currently it is possible to obtain medical cannabis in the following situations:

For children with severe epilepsy which has not been controlled by other medication

For adults with nausea/ vomiting from chemotherapy not controlled with other medication

For adults with muscle stiffness not controlled with other medication It can only be prescribed by specialist consultants and not GPs.

It is possible to obtain oils, creams, solutions and more which contain CBD. It is legal to sell CBD-based products in the UK and these are often available in health food shops. These products do not contain THC; if they did it would be illegal to sell them.

It’s been claimed CBD based products could be effective for pain relief, anxiety, depression and more. The current evidence base does not suggest CBD is effective for these but more studies are being done.

As with any over-thecounter medication, please discuss with your GP or pharmacist whether this is suitable for you.