Medicinal cannabis will be made available in Northern Ireland from next month – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Medicinal cannabis will be made available in Northern Ireland from next month




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Doctors in Northern Ireland will be allowed to prescribe medicinal cannabis to patients from next month.

The news comes after the Department of Health agreed with similar recommendations that were submitted in England, Scotland and Wales.

In a statement confirming the introduction of the treatment, the Department of Health said the following:  “The amendments implement the recent expert advice from the chief medical adviser to the UK government and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) in relation to cannabis-based medicines and will ensure a consistent approach in terms of regulation and patient access across the UK.”

“The department has worked alongside the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to develop additional frameworks and clinical guidelines to ensure that cannabis-based medicinal products can be prescribed safely and effectively to patients, while at the same time ensuring they are not misused.”

It is believed that the British Government agreed to the use of the treatment following a positive response in a number of high profile cases.

Although the use of the treatment here still remains highly restricted, campaigners hope that the Government will change their stance in the future following a number of high profile cases.

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