NHS - Hope For Patients: UK Bill Enabling General Practitioners To Prescribe Medical Marijuana | Benzinga
Draft legislation to allow general medical practitioners (GPs) to prescribe medical marijuana has been published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC).
The proposal titled Prescription Cannabis (GPs Prescribing) Bill amends section 4 of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018, by adding "general medical practitioners” next to "specialist medical practitioners” as lawful prescribes.
"Given NHS waiting lists have soared to over seven million, allowing GPs to prescribe cannabis medicines is an oven-ready solution to this growing health emergency,” Dr. Sunil Arora, co-chair of the CIC Prescription Cannabis Working Group stated.
Around one in three adults has chronic pain, and so they will make up a significant number of those in the queue. Cannabis medicines are proven to be effective at managing these conditions.
The bill also defines a general medical practitioner as a doctor included in the register of general medical practitioners kept under section 34C of the Medical Act 1983. While the draft bill has been written as a piece of primary legislation, the CIC notes that its proposal could be also implemented via another legislation if some ...