APPG Inquiry Report - UK Government Responds - BADLY

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform along with United Patients Alliance and #EndOurPain submitted evidence and recommendations directly to the UK Government on September 13th 2016 from their recent initiative:


“Short Inquiry into the case for changing the categorisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes from Schedule 1 to a more appropriate Schedule”

Clark French and Jon Liebling from UPA join #EndOurPain and and APPG at Number 10!

We now have the Prime Minster Theresa May's response when Roger Godsiff, Labour MP for Birmingham, Hall Green, asked this parliamentary question:

“To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will respond to the recommendations of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform Accessing Medicinal Cannabis: Meeting Patients’ Needs, published in September 2016.”



Sarah Newton MP, minister of state at the Home Office replied:

“The Prime Minister responded to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform’s report ‘Accessing Medicinal Cannabis: Meeting Patients’ Needs’ on the 27 October.
Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and, in its raw form, currently has no recognised medicinal benefits in the UK. It is therefore listed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001
It is important that all medicines containing controlled drugs are thoroughly trialled to ensure they meet rigorous standards so that doctors and patients are sure of their efficacy and safety. To do otherwise for cannabis would amount to a circumvention of the clearly established and necessary regime for approving medicines in the UK.”

Whilst disappointing, it is hardly a surprise that this is simply a copy/paste of the same tired position the UK government has held since 1971. Clearly, neither the PM nor any of her ministers have given any consideration whatsoever to the scientific evidence presented by top UK Neurologist, Professor Mike Barnes's bar setting paper nor the output from the 623 medicinal cannabis patients from United Patients Alliance's survey.

Frankly, this just isn't good enough when it is estimated that over 1 million UK citizens suffering from a range of conditions could have their health and lives improved immediately and whilst it is difficult to argue that "It is important that all medicines containing controlled drugs are thoroughly trialled to ensure they meet rigorous standards" this has to be set against the reality that we are literally years away from this process providing any sort of progress for patients who could be helped today with legal access to cannabis in various forms. 

It is worth noting that in a recent meeting I had with Chris Tovey, Chief Operating Officer for GW Pharmaceuticals, he estimated that even Epidiolex, which has completed successful phase 3 trials and is close to approval for treatment in the US, is between 2 and 3 years away from approval in the UK. Any further cannabis based medications are, perhaps, 5 to 10 years away. Our patients cannot wait that long as has become quite clear across the globe.

With the recent progress in the US, Canada, Australia, 11 European countries and many other parts of the world, it seems inevitable that the UK government will have to look more closely and address its current unsustainable position on cannabis. However, if we want to see change happen more quickly then we must continue to increase the pressure on them and make sure that this issue remains in the public and political eye.

Of course, United Patients Alliance nor the APPG will be letting this lie. We have to make maintaining the status quo LESS comfortable for them than addressing it and plans are already in place to respond to the government including legal challenges, parliamentary motions and questions, media focuses and of course #EndOurPain will continue to bring more MPs and grow public support. More details on these plans will be forthcoming soon - Watch this space.

What can you do?

Sign up to support #EndOurPain here: http://www.endourpain.org/




Please write to your your MP, giving them the report that the APPG presented to the PM and demanding they they read it and respond to the evidence AND NOT just give the standard government line as above. Ask them to demand that the government give full consideration and a detailed response to the evidence and to each of the recommendations rather that just regurgitating their indefensible current position: Click here for how to do this

All the documents can be accessed here:

APPG Report: Accessing Medicinal Cannabis: Meeting Patient’s Needs 
Professor Mike Barnes: Cannabis: The Evidence for Medical Use 
United Patients Alliance: Medicinal Cannabis Patient Survey

We need your help and support to be the most effective we can be, so please see what you can do to help: HELP - United Patients Alliance

NOW is the time YOU can make a difference. NOW is the time to make ourselves heard. NOW is the time to support Cannabis as a Medicine.

Jon Liebling – Political Director of United Patients Alliance

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PRESS RELEASE - APPG Campaign Launch

United Patients Alliance Press Release

Embargo: 00:01hrs Tuesday 13th September 2016

Patients Welcome MPs Call to Legalise Medical Cannabis

The United Patients Alliance (UPA) has welcomed the findings of a major Parliamentary report published today that access to medical cannabis should be legalised as a ‘landmark moment’ for the estimated 1 million people in Britain that take cannabis primarily for medical reasons.  The report was issued by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Drug Policy Reform following their seven month inquiry, along with the results of a worldwide review of evidence and patient survey, commissioned by them 

Jon Liebling, political director of UPA said, ‘The findings of this report, and the review of evidence from around the world published alongside it, together with our patient survey is a landmark moment in our campaign to advance access to medical cannabis. Working alongside the www.endourpain.org campaign we have long argued that people taking cannabis for medical reasons are patients, not criminals. We urge the UK government to take heed of this report and act.  Today’s news blows the government’s view that cannabis has ‘no medical value’ out of the water.  The government needs to follow the lead of the growing number of countries, including 13 in the EU along with 25 US States that are seeing this issue for what it is – a matter of compassion and social and medical justice with solid evidence to support it’.

The APPG’s members include over 100 Peers and MPs, co-chaired by Baroness Molly Meacher and Caroline Lucas MP.

Their inquiry stretched over 7 months.  The APPG also commissioned the most in-depth review of the medical and scientific evidence of cannabis’ efficacy for many conditions and symptoms, including mental health, ever undertaken. This review of evidence was researched and produced by one of the UKs top Consultant Neurologists, Professor Mike Barnes. This report should be seen as the most authoritative and up-to-date document on this subject, removing any doubt about cannabis’ therapeutic benefits for many conditions:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6-snQ_RW74

United Patients Alliance along with some of our patients gave evidence at a number of the APPG hearings and were tasked with running, administering and analysing a 600+ cohort Medical Cannabis Patient Survey comparing their experiences of prescription medications versus cannabis, along with preferred methods of consumption, strengths, sourcing and many other fascinating statistics. The results support both Mike Barnes’ report and the APPG’s campaign and will be addressing question such as:

How do you source cannabis? (street/grow/etc...)

What type is best for you (High THC > Low CBD, choice, etc......)

What form of cannabis (Herbal, Edible, Tincture, Oil)

How do you ingest (Smoke, w/wo tobacco, vaping, eat, etc..)

What conditions do you consume it for?

How effective is cannabis vs prescrition drugs?

Description and Severity of side-effects

How long have you had your condition? How long have you been consuming cannabis?

Have you talked to your doctor about cannabis? How did they respond?

In addition there are a few interesting and significant gender differences in terms of conditions, effectiveness, side-effects, etc..

 https://www.facebook.com/unitedpatientsalliance/

No10 Downing Street
The public campaign #EndOurPain, which has been active for only a few months and has over 19000 signatories, 29 MPs, 12 Peers, 4 celebrities (Richard Branson, Joanna Lumley, Russell Brand and Alistair Campbell) along with a practising UK GP and Consultant Neurologist will present its aims and progress to No10 Downing Street alongside this launch - http://www.endourpain.org/supporters/  Copies of both the APPG report and the review of evidence can be downloaded from the www.endourpain.org from 00:01 Tuesday 13^th September 2016

ENDS

Editors notes:

Contact Details:

Jon Liebling | Political Director - United Patients Alliance

E: jon@liebling.co.uk M: 07921589237

Clark French | Founder and Director - United Patients Alliance

E: as.the.sun.sets@hotmail.co.uk M: 07773 690488

Please use our Website Page link in any publications: http://www.upalliance.org/

(New website launched on 13th Sept)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introducing United Patients Alliance

The United Patients Alliance are a support and campaigning community for 1000s or medical cannabis patients in the UK who suffer from a range of conditions including; Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s, Anxiety, Depression, AIDS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, ME, PTSD, Epilepsy, Chronic and Neuropathic Pain, all of whom have found that various types and strengths of cannabis consumed in a variety of ways has proven to be a more effective medicine than their legal and prescribed alternatives in improving their lives, reducing side effects and treating their symptoms. These patients are forced to either live in unnecessary discomfort and pain or risk dealing with criminals for their medicine and a criminal record for growing it or consuming it.

We launched in June 2014 with the support of Caroline Lucas MP and Professor David Nutt and have since gained the direct support of a number of other ministers and politicians. We run Patient Perspective and Cannabis College events around the UK to give patients a forum for telling their stories and to help inform the public of the proven medical benefits whilst dispelling the myths and half-truths about its harms. We estimate that there are about 1m active and current medical cannabis consumers who would immediately benefit from a change in this dreadful situation. In terms of genuine information on medical cannabis and how best to consume it, we are the UK’s experts on cannabis as a medicine.

Political Director of United Patients Alliance, Jon Liebling asks "What compassionate society would allow the criminalisation of patients for consuming something with their doctors blessing that helps them manage and treat their illnesses and improves their lives?"

Founder and Director of United Patients Alliance and Multiple Sclerosis patient Clark French says:

"Cannabis is medicine for thousands of UK patients suffering from chronic conditions, it is both cruel and callous to seek to arrest someone for consuming something which makes them feel better, we demand the government listens and changes the law to reflect the science and allow legal access to cannabis for all UK citizens who wish to benefit from cannabis' therapeutic potential"

Quotes from United Patients Alliance Patients:

Alex Fraser – Crohn’s Patient

"I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at 19. I cannot be prescribed any traditional painkillers for my chronic pain. Cannabis is my only medicine, it's the only thing that's ever worked. It eases my pain, gives me an appetite, helps me sleep and reduces my nausea. Regular use reduces all of my symptoms to the point where it enables me to work. Without cannabis, my life would barely be worth living"

Faye Jones - Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

"I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 27 and rely on cannabis for pain relief, and to combat the side effects of prescribed treatments for my condition, that would otherwise prevent me from staying in full time employment."

Jake Barrow - Chronic and Neuropathic Pain Patient

"Patients in the UK need access to medical cannabis immediately. To expect anyone to cope or even survive on heavy opiate based medications for their entire lives shows how both cruel and inhumane political ideology can be. We need to remove the stigma from Medical Cannabis use"

APPG Medicinal Cannabis Initiative

“Short Inquiry into the case for changing the categorisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes from Schedule 1 to a more appropriate Schedule”

On September 13th, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Drug Policy Reform published its report and recommendations following its inquiry and presented all the evidence to No 10 Downing Street along with United Patients Alliance and #EndOurPain

From the left: Frank Warburton (APPG), Jon Liebling, Clark French (UPA), Prof Mike Barnes, Peter Carroll (#EndOurPain), Baroness Molly Meacher

The APPG has over 100 MPs and Peers as its members and is Co-Chaired by Caroline Lucas MP and crossbench peer Baroness Molly Meacher.

To find out more visit the APPG Website

Molly attended our Patient Perspective event in London last year and was “deeply moved” by what she heard. She told us on the night, “I had no idea it had such a broad range of benefits. We have to do something about this!”

In the first of many meetings with Molly and her team we successfully argued that “a more appropriate schedule” would be better than “to Schedule 2” reflecting the fact that GW Pharmaceuticals full plant extract medicine Sativex is in Schedule 4 and as such, this should be considered more carefully.
In addition we were overjoyed to have successfully made the case for the inclusion of a recommendation to decriminalise "Grow Your Own" for patients witin the report.

The APPG’s report included evidence from many written submissions and oral hearings in which UPA and a number of our patients took part, along with many other interested groups from both sides of the fence. Most significantly, one of the UK’s top consultant neurologists, Professor Mike Barnes, published his comprehensive and qualitative review of the scientific evidence for cannabis’ efficacy for many conditions which was supported by the publication of the results from APPG and United Patients Alliance recent survey of over 600 medical cannabis patients.

House of Lords
From Left: Clark French, Founder and Director UPA, Caroline Lucas MP, Baroness Molly Meacher and UPA Political Director, Jonathan Liebling

All the documents can be accessed here:

APPG Report: Accessing Medicinal Cannabis: Meeting Patient’s Needs 
Professor Mike Barnes: Cannabis: The Evidence for Medical Use 
United Patients Alliance: Medicinal Cannabis Patient Survey

Alongside this launch, #EndOurPain presented their petition:

Sign up to support #EndOurPain here: http://www.endourpain.org/


Whilst we await an official response from the UK Government which we expect will be forthcoming in the next few weeks, it has never been a better time to get involved with United Patients Alliance and help us drive the forward.
We need all the help we can muster - CLICK here if you would like to!

Jon Liebling – Political Director of United Patients Alliance

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Thinking about #EndOurPain?

Why we support #EndOurPain and why we think #CannabisisMedicine will help the wider cause too.

United Patients Alliance are never going to apologise for putting patients first. Medical Cannabis Patients are, in fact, the reason we exist. Whilst it is true that strain choice might be different for those seeking cannabis' medical benefits than for those consuming recreationally, the substance is pretty much the same thing and whilst we may and do argue that all cannabis consumption is therapeutic, not least, thanks to its neuroprotective properties and that many who consume recreationally do so for medical reasons as well; the difference that counts for us and our patients is the primary reason for consumption: Medical or Recreational?

For our patients, there is little doubt which (if any) must come first, but in any case, does this matter in practical terms when the ultimate goal is Legal Cannabis for Adults and Cannabis as a Medicine for all?

The (final) goal remains the same - but how do we get there most efficiently?

The battle for Drug Law Reform including a legal and regulated cannabis market has never had more support, focus and more motivation - All United Patients Alliance and #EndOurPain are saying is; 

"Can we clear the sick from the battle field first please?"

The biggest criticism of a "medical-first" approach is that this will, in some way, delay or harm the full legalisation lobby and set the campaign back years. 
So I have had a little look at exactly that in the context of our current political reality.

Which is the fastest path to full legalisation of cannabis?

How likely do you think a government who debated the legalisation of cannabis and firmly rejected it last year is going to engage on the subject again this year or perhaps for many?

There is a chance that it could be made an election issue should our unmandated new PM, Theresa May decide to call one soon. Jeremy Corbyn has just publicly stated that if he retains the Labour Leadership that he would address the issues of Cannabis as a Medicine and Drug Law Reform as a matter of urgency, but realistically it doesn't really matter, as the Conservatives would win an early GE no matter what they said about cannabis so unlikely to be a risk she would think was worth taking as she aims for a election victory.

Opinion Polls 

There have been a number of opinion polls both public and private over the last couple of years and the political picture is pretty clear, today;
58% of current MPs support cannabis as a medicine, however, only 18% currently support full legalisation.

Whilst the significant majority of the UK public support cannabis as a medicine, it is still only 32% who support full legalisation. So there is quite a way to go before getting there.

Support amongst the public might not be as high as you think? 

Just for this - 24 months/2 years as a minimum - PLUS:

How long will it take to actually pass a bill to legalise cannabis if such a decision was made?

Taking a Bill Through Parliament

It takes about a year, on average; I would estimate at least 18 months for something as complex as this and then a further 6 months (at least) to implement it.

So realistically there is little likelihood that it will happen, from a standing start, within the next 5 years? I honestly doubt it.......from a standing start. Add that to the minimum 2 years it would take to pass and implement and you have:

7 years: Earliest Date for legalisation of cannabis in the UK: September 2023

HOWEVER

In every single US State (excl: California; an exception on many levels) that has introduced a medical access policy, public opinion on full legalisation has swung to positive from any start in between 20 and 30 months. Whilst their politicians have been slow to act on this, I think our political system is more "public opinion" driven and as such could work faster, or at least at the low end; Let's say 2 years?

AND

There is a way, one way, to get this process on the go early, perhaps very early!? Introduce cannabis as a medicine to the UK without actually having to change any laws:

If cannabis were to be moved from its current Schedule 1 status and some policy changes could be made by the MHRA to permit the approval of herbal based medicines, this would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis and for a pharmacy to fulfil the prescription from existing and future pharmaceutical grade products from around the world.

(Specialist Licensed Dispensaries would need a law change and licenses/policies defined - it can't happen immediately but probably will at some point in the future)
(Schedule 2 would suffice but would make importing much more complex and with Sativex already in Schedule 4, that seems more reasonable. De-Scheduling is simply highly unlikely for now)

Sources for the pharmacy could be any "pharmaceutical grade" formulation of cannabis currently approved for use across Europe as we already have a trade agreement in place. (Not withstanding #Brexit) There are a growing number of these formulations being researched and produced across Europe with a broadening range of strains, extracts, edibles and tinctures that can be introduced, as they become available. The door will have been well and truly been opened.

So what about Grow Your Own?

Amongst #EndOurPain, #UPA, #VolteFace or #APPG or #Transform or....oh well, you get the picture, I am not aware of a single voice that does not agree that people should be left alone to grow their own (within regulations that need to be debated). However to address this in law takes us back to square 1 again; Law change! 
There are things that can be done more quickly and without changing the law though and logic dictates most of it:

Once you have introduced herbal cannabis into the UK for medical reasons, the first check that will need to be made by the police, if you are caught in possession is whether you have a prescription. This will drive 2 unwanted impacts; Many, many people going to their doctor to get prescriptions and an immediate increase in prescription fraud. Arrests would become harder to justify, mistakes will be made and successful prosecutions would become very expensive and far more difficult. The only logical thing to do to prevent this would be to decriminalise personal grows; This only requires some policy changes. The argument is being prepared. it will be being made at some point along the way. You can help by helping to make the case.

So what about Mental Health?

For politicians this is dodgy ground. Many of them and most of the public are convinced that there is a negative causal relationship between cannabis and mental health because that is how they have been led by the Red Top press.
Not for long, though. The most authoritative and up to date review of the medical efficacy for many conditions by a qualitative study of the research is about to be published by a top UK Consultant Neurologist. Within this report are a number of mental health benefits which will get significant focus during the APPG's campaign supported by #EndOurPain and by the results of #UPAs cannabis patient survey showing how high a priority and benefit it actually is, whilst recognising that there is a small minority of the population who are under 18 and with a predisposition to mental illness who may experience negative consequences and should be cautious.

Cannabis Clubs/Collectives?

It's all there in the Expert Panel Report? Perhaps some of the suggested regulations need a bit of work, but setting them from a "cautious" starting point was a wise move in order to get the report passed. If and once it gets debated all the regulations and many other aspects can be explored and agreed.

Right now there is a slim, but real chance that #EndOurPain's goals are achievable in 2017 and will set us firmly on the road to full reform. It will depend on a number of things; this is politics, love it or loathe it and how your cards are played is important. For those who feel that it does not go far enough; How early would you show your whole hand, if you wanted to win?
It's not secrecy, it's strategy.

Once cannabis becomes more widely accepted and normalised due to its medical uses, the benefits understood and the risks in perspective, once there is a set of results, medically, criminally, financially the rest will surely follow much more quickly, than from a standing start?

That sets the realistic earliest date for full regulation and legalisation of cannabis in the UK:
April 2019 - April 2020 (with many/most patients and personal growers sorted in 2017)

That beats the Full Legalisation Only, by a full 3 years and probably more.

Support Change and Support #EndOurPain now

With financial backing, professional campaigners, structure and a strategic plan, along with 44 MPs, 13 Peers, 4 Celebrities and over 22500 supporters in 6 months it is not going to stop and it is going to be successful; it is not about whether you like #EndOurPain's wording or what you think about those who are helping to drive it and/or pay for it; The UK is in the process of changing. This is how it is going to change; the only way you can effect the outcome is by getting on board; Lets build the future together.

Do it now, here: End Our Pain

Jon Liebling – Political Director of United Patients Alliance

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Write to Your MP - Today

What is Happening?

Six months ago the legalisation of cannabis was debated in parliament with fewer than 20 MPs in attendance and in a back room. Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb was one of the few that attended and now he is at it again.

The former coalition Health Minister proposed a Ten Minute Rule Bill asking for the very same thing to be debated. So what has changed?

Lamb is now armed with two things that neither he, nor any of the other speakers, could avail themselves with at the last debate:

• He has the independent panel report on cannabis regulation that was published at the beginning of March, commissioned by the Lib Dems which proposes how the legal regulation of cannabis could be implemented specifically in the UK. 
• He has the near unanimous support of his entire party at their Spring Conference earlier this month. The Liberal Democrats are a major political party, and Lamb’s call now carries the extra weight of far more voices than 200,000 petitioners. There is clearly appetite for this debate, at least among a swathe of the UK population and many cross-party supporters

The Second Reading of this Bill is scheduled for the House of Commons on 22nd April 2016 and what we really need to be doing is to encourage as many of our MPs to take an interest in this Bill and preferably support it.

Here is the proposal in full: 

A regulated cannabis market for the UK

Who will prepare and bring in in the Bill:

Tim Farron (LibDem)     

Nick Clegg (LibDem)

Tom Brake (LibDem)

Alistair Carmichael (LibDem)

Caroline Lucas (Green)

Paul Flynn (Labour)

Michael Fabricant (Con)

Crispin Blunt (Con)

Peter Lilley (Con)

Norman Lamb (LibDem)

How can we make that happen?

Write To Your MP

Now is the time to contact your MP making it very clear that you expect them to attend the debate and you want them to represent your views and if you can, arrange to meet your MP at their constituency surgery to explain things in person. Saying “NO” by email is much easier than saying it to a medical cannabis patient sat right in front of them.

• Find out who your MP is by entering your postcode on this website
• Find out your MP’s email address by looking their name up here
• Google your MP’s name to find their personal websites and more contact details.
• Write a letter to your MP at: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

You must include your full postal address and postcode to show that you are a constituent.  Without this your email or letter will be ignored.

An email or a letter is fine, both is even better and a follow up phone call to their office can be very effective in getting a response.

Write in your own words. Parliamentary email systems can identify and delete “Template Emails” to address campaigns by petitioning groups that have inundated MPs with such correspondence.  

Keep your letter fairly brief. Limited to 3 or 4 paragraphs and a single page is best.

A good format for your correspondence is:

Paragraph 1: Why you are writing? What do you want from your MP?

• I am/want to be a medical cannabis patient who has suffered from (condition) or I am a recreational consumer
• What do you expect in return - I want you to attend and represent my situation/opinion/position in this debate....) I want you to tell me your position on this subject. I want to arrange an appointment to see you.

Paragraph 2: Details of condition/consumption/why you believe cannabis should be legalised? It does not have to be every angle or every reason. The ones that mean the most to you will do.

Paragraph 3: I appreciate you taking the time to read this. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you. Grovel (not really)

What do I Write About?

Use your own words; choose from these points if that helps:

• Legal regulation of cannabis will move the £6bn per year market out of the hands of the criminals, reducing under age consumption and resulting in better quality and known strengths, less prevalence of Skunk and other high-THC strains which are a response to the illegal market. 
• The potential benefits of taxation of cannabis would allow us to invest millions more in schools, hospitals, drug abuse treatment and re-education
• Legalising would reduce police costs and time so they can concentrate on more serious and violent crime, whilst improving relationships with the public.
• It removes the risks relating to dealing with the criminal market for patients in accessing their medicine
• Provide patients with much needed medicine that is effective and safe
• It would save the NHS millions of pounds as people would chose cannabis over other more expensive and less effective pharmaceutical medications. An average Multiple Sclerosis Patient costs £30k per year unless they choose cannabis. In US states where available there is 16%-25% take up. With 100k MS sufferers in the UK, that is a minimum of £480m per year, for just MS.
• Opiate abuse and overdose has reduced by an average of 25% and Alcohol abuse and overdose by 15% in places where regulated cannabis is available as an alternative. 
• Allows for more research in more places without the 2 year lead time and additional costs of around £160k per year for licences and materials and would encourage competition by breaking GW Pharmaceutical's UK monopoly
• It would directly and immediately reduce the numbers of trafficked children forced to work on illegal cannabis grows in the UK
• It's my Human Right

You can link to the following pieces of evidence in your email or letter or add your own but no more than 3 or 4 excellent links.

• Cannabis is 114 times safer than alcohol: 
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4311234/
• No link between adolescent cannabis use and later health problems: 
• http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/adb-adb0000103.pdf
• Cannabis does NOT cause schizophrenia and can actually help: 
• http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/12/10/harvard-marijuana-doesnt-cause-schizophrenia/63148.html 
• http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0RF1LV20150915?irpc=932
• Cannabis Claims NOT supported by Evidence http://www.icsdp.org/cannabis_claims
• How to Regulate Cannabis: 
• http://www.tdpf.org.uk/resources/publications/how-regulate-cannabis-practical-guide
• https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/michaela/pages/61/attachments/original/1441642979/State_of_the_Evidence_Cannabis_Use_and_Regulation_Sept_7.pdf?1441642979
• Medical Cannabis – The Evidence: 
• http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/medical-marijuana-how-the-evidence-stacks-up/
• http://clear-uk.org/static/media/PDFs/medicinal_cannabis_the_evidence2.pdf

Lastly and most importantly; 
Do give United Patients Alliance a mention.
Do support End_Our_Pain for legal access to Cannabis as a Medicine

GOOD LUCK! Let us know how you get on.

Jon Liebling – Political Director of United Patients Alliance

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Cannabis Extract and Edibles? Why?

Alex Fraser - Event Director - United Patients Alliance

Cannabis extracts, sometimes known as concentrates are exactly that: concentrated cannabis. As with many legal medicines often it isn’t feasible to ingest enough of the active ingredients when in their natural form. Extracts also provide a much wider scope for methods of ingestion. Oil can be put into caps to be eaten or in suppositories. It is also possible to create a THC-rich form of oil especially for inhaled vaporisation which is proving to be one of the safest and most effective ways to ingest cannabis, as well as the fastest acting, and most effective pain relief available from the plant. All of this is essential to take into account for a medical cannabis patient. 

Eating oil takes up to an hour to take effect. This means it’s impractical for those in need of immediate pain relief (such as myself). Caps are, however, very effective as a course of treatment for the underlying condition and to reduce symptoms over time. There is also the benefit that, when eaten, the effect can last for many hours. For those using it to keep themselves asleep when pain might resurface throughout the night this is very useful. With caps it is also possible to provide a level of pain relief or sedation throughout the day (depending on whether you’re using Indica or Sativa oils). For people who cannot inhale cannabis in any form (due to lung problems) or who cannot ingest via bi-lingual sprays (there are a multitude of medicinal reasons why this might not be possible). Oil caps are going to be the only possible course of medicine for them to get relief without having to bake their medicine into brownies or other foods (an endeavour that costs time, energy and money).

For those who don’t want to experience the “high” from cannabis, suppositories are the only option and again, it must be oil rather than herb that is used. We expect a great deal of medical cannabis use to be done by the over 60’s once legalised (as is the case in many states in the USA that have legal medical cannabis). Many of these people don’t want the heady highs that go with this kind of medication and this can be avoided. Leaving oil illegal will simply mean that this “high-free” option isn’t possible for those that want or need it. Try going to work on high doses of cannabis, it doesn’t work. Suppositories mean one can go about their day, ingest a very high quantity of cannabis but not be seriously inebriated. For those who have cancer but still have to work, putting a canna-cap up their bum before work is a possibly life-saving reality.

One of  other main reasons concentrates are useful is that, for serious conditions and severe pain, cannabis can often not be strong enough in herbal form with people often combining it with opiates. This has meant a reduction in opiate overdoses in states where cannabis has been legalised but with concentrates, a patient’s dependency on opiates can be reduced further still. 

I’ve personally smoked more than a gram of cannabis in a single “joint” and it’s not come close to easing my pain, no vaporisers cater for that size of dose. No vaporiser can fit more than half a gram of cannabis in at one time (to my knowledge). Vaporisable cannabis oil however, can be vaporised in tiny amounts that contain large doses. I have a Dabstorm; an E-cigarette type device that I can use discretely in public. It’s very similar to portable herbal vaporisers I’ve used except that I can fit a tiny amount of herb in a portable vape (about 0.3g at most) whereas my Dabstorm can hold enough oil to keep me pain free for hours, sometimes days, whilst out and about. When at home I can take a very high dose of THC in the form of vaporised oil that would mean smoking or vaporising for at least half an hour solidly. It’s efficient and it’s effective.

Last, but not least, cannabis concentrates aren't identical to cannabis. In two ways:

Firstly, there is some difference in effect. To me a Sativa dab (a single dose of vaporised inhaled cannabis oil made from the bud of a Sativa plant) has a very different effect to any other form of cannabis I've tried. Let’s imagine I’m getting up to get to work, my pain is the worst at this time, I need something with high THC but that doesn’t make me feel lethargic or lazy, that’s going to keep me on my feet as I shower and dress and go about my day. The Sativa dab does this perfectly. Any form of smoked herb makes me lethargic, vaporised herb doesn’t ease the pain enough and if I try to eat any cannabis it will take an hour to take effect. Do you think, if we legalised only herb, that I would revert back to using it? Rather than this particular oil that does exactly what I need, when I need and is available in the UK despite the fact that it’s unregulated and the price is extortionate? Do you think I put a price on being able to get up and get out to work? 

Secondly, Some cannabis extracts are produced using solvents and need expensive, professional vacuum ovens to remove all residual solvents to make these products safe. Here, far more so than with herbal cannabis, a regulated supply is needed. Patients ARE going to use concentrates, it’s a fact. I know very few pain patients who haven’t made the move onto vaporised oils (dabs) and most that haven’t can’t merely due to lack of supply or due to cost. We have a duty to improve these peoples quality of medicines by legalising them all, not just some forms.

Those who have cancer are not going to hesitate to make the RSO or Full Extract oil that they believe will treat them, providing them with safe access is another obligation. These are people trying to find peace in their final hours or prevent a painful death. I’m sure I don’t need to explain how desperation leads to bad decision making. These are the people who are being scammed most commonly, sold oil for ridiculous prices or sold oil that is simply not the product they had thought they were buying. This issue is at the emotional heart of the campaign to legalise medicinal cannabis and desperately needs addressing. Speak to Jeff Ditchfield if you need any more convincing.

At the end of the day, concentrates are cannabis. The two things are the same thing in different forms in the same sense as olive oil is made from olives or butter from milk. If we can provide a wide array of potencies and methods of ingestion with safe, regulated, affordable cannabis concentrates why would we not do so? Why would we limit patients ability to medicate using just one form that works in just one way when we already have multiple forms with many features that make them far more suitable medicines for specific patients, symptoms or scenarios. Why would we not strive to develop regulated outlets for these medicines that patients are ALREADY USING. 

We must be very clear about what we are actually trying to do here: We’re not creating a marketplace, we’re not introducing “new medicines” to the UK. These medicines already exist, there are people making high quality extracts of all kinds in the UK, there are many established brands making edible cannabis in various forms, all illegally. We’re not creating “medical cannabis in the UK”, it already exists, we’re just legalising it, regulating it, and hopefully improving on it. Why would we be happy with anything other than an improvement?