Question 1

Is medical cannabis legal?
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Accepted Answer

Cannabis based products for medicinal use (CBPM) has been legal f(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-that-medicinal-cannabis-is-legal)or medicinal purposes since November 2018. Obtaining medical cannabis requires a valid prescription issued by a specialist doctor.

Question 2

Are CBPMs safe?

Accepted Answer

CBPMs are safe for use when prescribed by a specialist prescriber affiliated with the General Medical Council (GMC).

Your specialist prescriber will provide guidance on how to use medical cannabis and monitor your progress. They will also recommend adjustments to the dosage or type of medical cannabis as needed.

CBPMs are manufactured specifically for you by a registered specials medicines manufacturing company based on your prescription.

They follow the EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines to ensure the medical cannabis is safe for human use. This ensures you receive medical cannabis products with the exact strength prescribed by your doctor.

Question 3

What can CBPMs be prescribed for?

Accepted Answer

CBPMs can be prescribed for many medical conditions, but only after you’ve tried the usual treatments for them. Common conditions patients get a CBPM prescription for include:
· Chronic pain
· Mental health, such as depression or anxiety
· Conditions that affect your nerves, such as epilepsy (seizures)
· Conditions that affect your gut, such as IBS or Crohn’s disease
· Side effects from cancer treatment

A full list can be found here (https://www.holistichealthhub.live/conditions)

Question 4

What do CBPMs look like?

Accepted Answer

​Dried medical cannabis flower (flos) appears as small, dried cones of green herbs. It typically comes in an opaque, hard plastic container to protect the flower from light damage. Weigh the desired amount precisely using a scale with at least one decimal place (e.g., 0.1g).

Medical cannabis oil looks like a light yellow liquid in a brown medical bottle, safeguarding it from light exposure. An oral syringe (no needle involved) allows for accurate measurement of the prescribed oil amount, usually starting with 0.05ml or 1ml.
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CBPMs can also come as vape cartridges to be used with approved devices as well as soft gelatin capsules.
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The dosage of medical cannabis depends on the strength, type prescribed, and the condition being treated.

Question 5

Will CBPMs get me high?

Accepted Answer

​When you first start taking CBPMs, you’ll begin with a low dose of THC or CBD and it’s unlikely that you’ll get a high. The doctor looking after you and providing your medical cannabis prescription can discuss this further with you.

CBPMs can cause a high if you take a high dose of THC. THC is the active substance that can cause a high and is known as tetrahydrocannabinol. CBD stands for cannabidiol and doesn’t cause a high. In fact, it can counter the psychoactive effects of THC.

Question 6

What is the difference between CBD and THC?

Accepted Answer

The main difference between CBD and THC is that they act differently in your body. THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol and CBD is short for cannabidiol.

THC and CBD are both types of active cannabinoids found in medical cannabis. Your body naturally produces cannabinoids, and we call these endocannabinoids.

THC can affect how you think, what you feel and the way your body moves by stimulating your body’s cannabinoid receptors. CBD works in a different way and can make the effects of THC and your body’s natural endocannabinoids last longer.

The THC (and CBD) in CBPMs are unlikely to cause a “high” as you always start with the lowest possible dose, and slowly work your way up to help treat your medical condition.

CBD that is not prescribed by a doctor is classed as a food supplement (novel food) and is not regulated in the same way that CBPMs are. Therefore, it should not be used medically to treat any kind of health condition. This includes CBD products that you may buy from a “health food shop” or over the counter in a pharmacy.

Question 7

What’s the difference between CBD products and CBPMs?

Accepted Answer

The main difference is that CBPMs need to be prescribed by doctors that are specialist prescribers, and CBD products can be bought at shops, online and in pharmacies. You may have seen CBD products such as:
· CBD oils, tinctures or extracts
· CBD gels, creams, balms or rubs
· CBD capsules that you swallow or vape
· CBD teas or drinks
· CBD foods, such as brownies or energy bars

CBD products are manufactured in a different way to CBPMs, so it can be difficult to tell exactly what they contain. Legally, CBD products should not contain THC and are not allowed to be used to treat medical health conditions.
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CBPMs are made to EU GMP standards like all regulated medicine.

Question 8

What does EU GMP medical cannabis mean?

Accepted Answer

EU GMP medical cannabis means that the medical cannabis has been made under the guidance of EU Good Manufacturing Practice standards. This ensures that the medical cannabis is:
· Consistently high quality
· Safe for humans to use
· Free from harmful substances, like mould or anything that could contaminate the final product
· Inspected on a regular basis by the EMA (European Medicines Agency) and the HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority)

Question 9

What is a Summary Care Record (SCR)?

Accepted Answer

Summary Care Record (SCR) is a national database that holds electronic records of important patient information such as current medication, allergies and details of any previous bad reactions to medicines, created from GP medical records. It can be seen and used by authorised staff in other areas of the health and care system involved in the patient's direct care.

Question 10

How do I get a prescription for CBPMs?

Accepted Answer

Fill out our form (https://www.holistichealthhub.live/contact)if you think you meet the eligibility criteria above, and we will be in touch to guide you through the referral process to a clinic specialising in CBPM treatments.

The clinic will then book you in for an appointment where you will be assessed by a specialist doctor.

If suitable, your doctor will send your prescription to you nominated community pharmacy where it will be dispensed ready for you to collect (or delivered).

Question 11

Am I eligible for CBPM therapy?

Accepted Answer

To find out if CBPM therapy is suitable for you, you will first need an initial consultation with a doctor that is a specialist prescriber. You may be referred for a consultation if you meet the following eligibility criteria:
· Have one or more of the conditions listed here (https://www.holistichealthhub.live/conditions) (https://www.holistichealthhub.live/conditions)
· You have tried at least 1 licensed treatments for your condition (2 for some conditions)
· You have not been diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychosis
· You consent to us accessing and sharing you summary care records (SCR) with the clinic

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