MS victims buying cannabis illegally in postcode lottery to get NHS spray
DESPERATE patients have resorted to buying cannabis products illegally after being denied multiple sclerosis drug Sativex.
The cannabis-based spray, which can reduce painful muscle spasms, was approved for use on the NHS in England in 2019.
But a postcode lottery means thousands of eligible patients may be missing out on a prescription.
Susan (not her real name) was diagnosed with MS in the 1980s. She said: “I’m in a lot of pain all the time. I try to get as much done as I can in the morning because by about midday I’ve had enough.”
Now in her 60s, she wants to try Sativex but it is not available where she lives in the South-east. She said: “Around two years ago I started buying cannabis oil from Canada.
Relieved
“By taking it at night I can get at least six hours sleep, sometimes more.
“I’m not saying cannabis has cured me. But it has relieved the pain and spasms a great deal.”
She added: “I’m not a person that likes to break the law.
“But when I realised how well it worked for me, I just knew I had to carry on buying it.”
Cannabis has also helped Gerry (not his real name) manage his MS symptoms. He said: “I’ve tried different forms of it, like smoking and eating cakes. I was on holiday in Holland when I tried cannabis for the first time and realised it really helped.”
Gerry, who is in his 50s and lives in the North-east, added: “It does worry me that I’m breaking the law to get [cannabis] and I’m concerned about the side-effects and that it might be doing me harm.”
MS Society research found only 49 out of 106 local NHS clinical commissioning groups in England were funding Sativex. The charity is concerned that many more patients may be turning to illegal cannabis.