I N T H E K N OW
UK GOVERNMENT
EASES MEDICAL
CANNABIS IMPORT
RESTRICTIONS
Medical cannabis patients rely on imports f rom countries like Canada and
the Netherlands to obtain their medicine. The UK government says that it
will now take days, rather than months, for patients to access it.
Words by Gordon Stribling
Medical cannabis patients
will now only have to wait
a matter of days to receive
their medicine f rom abroad.
The UK government has eased
import restrictions, which allow
licensed wholesalers to import
larger quantities of medical
cannabis and hold supplies for
future use.
Most medical cannabis is imported
f rom abroad and export restrictions
mean it can take months for
patients to obtain their medicine.
In Canada, it can take as long as
eight weeks to obtain an export
certif icate.
Additional safeguards against
addiction and drug misuse
require that specialist doctors
review prescriptions every 30
days, so treatment can be delayed
signif icantly.
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The government hopes the new
regulations will make it easier for
patients to access medical cannabis
sooner.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
“I have taken swift action to
allow specialist doctors to issue
prescriptions for cannabis-based
medicinal products, when they
consider their patients would
benef it f rom this treatment.
“This will allow patients and
their families with challenging
conditions to access them more
easily, when appropriate, to ensure
they can be treated in days, not
months.”
The new measures are being
implemented by the Home Off ice
and the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA).
The government has also said
that it will continue to work with