Mental Health Awareness Week: Medical cannabis and its role in mental health

Sapphire Medical will mark Mental Health Awareness Week by drawing attention to the potential of cannabis in psychological conditions.

Medical experts will discuss the potential benefits of cannabis for a number of mental health issues in a new video series hosted by Sapphire Medical Clinics.

Mental Health Awareness Week, running from 10-16 May, 2021, is an annual event organised by the Mental Health Foundation to encourage the nation to look after its mental health.

Mental health problems are prevalent across the UK, with 25 percent of the population experiencing a  mental health problem of some kind each year and almost 17 percent reporting a common mental health problem in any given week. 

While mental health challenges can affect  anyone, there are certain groups that experience problems at a higher prevalence, such as ethnic minorities, people with physical health problems, the LGBT+ community, and carers.

Mental  health challenges have been exacerbated during Covid-19, with psychological distress worsening  more than eight percent on average.

Mental health and medical cannabis

Since November 2018, when medical cannabis was moved to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs  Act, doctors have been prescribing it for a variety of conditions, including anxiety disorders, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Medical cannabis is also prescribed for persistent pain, which is thought to impact a quarter of the UK adult population and can have significant impact on wellbeing. 

Almost half of those with persistent pain  also live with depression and are three times more likely to develop anxiety.

Tackling the stigma

Sapphire Medical’s series has been created to highlight some of the mental health issues individuals are living with, how medical cannabis has helped.

It also features information on Sapphire Medical’s initiatives – such as the  Sapphire Foundation and Access Scheme, Sapphire Institute and patient registry – for improving medical cannabis access and education for patients and professionals. 

“The continued conversation around mental health is progressing and starting to destigmatise the topic,” commented Dr Mikael Sodergren, managing director at Sapphire Medical.

“Whilst having a conversation is a good starting point, much more needs to be done because mental  health issues are not only debilitating for the individuals who suffer from them but also their  loved ones and society overall. 

“This is why, with this video series, we endeavour to educate  everyone about the potential benefits of medical cannabis for mental health so that patients can  make informed and educated choices about the treatment they wish to use.”