Doctors can prescribe cannabis medicines

Doctors will be able to prescribe cannabis products to patients from next month, the Home Secretary has announced. Sajid Javid decided to relax the rules about the circumstances in which they can be given to patients after considering advice from a specially commissioned review.

The new regulations apply to England, Wales and Scotland from Nov 1 and follow several high-profile cases, including those of young epilepsy sufferers Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell, whose conditions appeared to be helped by cannabis oil. Alfie’s mother, Hannah Deacon, last night welcomed the move.