Ask Dr Miriam

QWhen I read about the heart-breaking case of Billy Caldwell I wondered if we will ever legalise cannabis for medical use. What do you think?

Great news! Good sense has prevailed. Now patients will benefit medically from cannabis but we’ll also be able to do more research on it.

Around 80,000 specialist doctors in England, Wales and Scotland will be able to prescribe cannabis medicine from the beginning of November. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has fallen in behind our chief medical

Aofficer, Sally Davies, who is in favour of legalisation. And I agree with her. Reviews of cannabis use in Australia, Ireland and the US provide evidence of benefits in a range of conditions. For instance, a 2017 review by the US National Academy of Sciences found conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis in adults with chronic pain, nausea and vomiting accompanying chemotherapy, and muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, and there’s some evidence it helps people with epilepsy.