Guernsey patients fear additional fees may leave medical cannabis out of reach

A new import fee for Guernsey patients, who access medical cannabis products from UK pharmacies, has been described as a “kick in the teeth” for those already struggling to fund private prescriptions.

Patients may be forced to reduce their medical cannabis prescriptions to accommodate a new import fee, coming into place from January.

The Health and Social Care Committee on the Island of Guernsey, has announced a £25 import fee for patients who receive medical cannabis from pharmacies in the UK.

The requirement is expected to come into force in early 2022, and will be used to help cover the costs of issuing licenses, officials said.

As in the UK, the law in Guernsey permits doctors to prescribe unlicensed cannabis medicines privately. As these are not included on the state’s ‘White List’ of medicines they must be funded by the individual.

But patients have told Cannabis Health that the additional costs facing those who already pay hundreds each month for private prescriptions, could prevent them accessing cannabis-based medicines altogether.

Rick Park, who has been prescribed cannabis for six months for chronic back pain, is already having to reduce his prescription due to unsustainable costs.

“I’m currently paying £310 per month for my prescription. I am reducing the amount of medical cannabis I receive next month as I can’t afford to continue paying this amount on a monthly basis,” he said.

“The extra £25 monthly import fee means I may have to reduce my medical cannabis even more. Any further increases could potentially put access to medical cannabis beyond my reach.”

Medical cannabis was legalised on the island in 2019, but due to a lack of prescribing doctors, patients had no choice but to access it through clinicians in the mainland UK.

Guernsey’s first medical cannabis clinic, Medicann, opened its doors in September 2021, having been operating in Jersey for over a year.

It now has around 500 patients enrolled in Guernsey and 3,000 across both islands, many of whom have moved from UK clinics.

However, Park said moving clinics would mean him paying around more for his medicine than he is currently.

“I had a consultation locally, but their focus is on bringing ‘premium’ products to the island. Unfortunately, this also comes with a premium price tag,” he continued.

“According to the doctor I saw, if I continued my prescription with them I would be paying more than I am through the UK clinic.”

Gaz Barbe is one of many patients who has recently moved clinics to Medicann, where he receives medication for PTSD.

He says that while he no longer has to deal with import delays and issues with repeat prescriptions, it’s not “cost-effective” for everyone.

“The majority of people that I know on medicinal cannabis have moved to the local clinic,” he said. 

“But for a friend of mine it’s not cost effective for him to move to Guernsey given his prescription, I think that should be respected.”

Gaz’s family currently pays for his prescription, as he is unable to work due to his health. Without their support, he says, he wouldn’t have access to it.

“I cannot afford my medication, it costs between £300 to £370 every month, which is more than I get a week, including paying my rent,” he said.

“If it wasn’t for my family I would not be medicating and I would not be doing so well.”

Gaz would like to see cannabis medicines included on the country’s White List, or for patients to be permitted to grow their own cannabis for medical use.

“I personally know of around 20 people that are not able to get their medication and have stayed using the illegal market,” he said.

“These are people who are prescription worthy who just can’t afford it. It just seems like absolute madness.”

Adam Martel who runs a Facebook support group for medical cannabis patients in Guernsey, said although the import fee wasn’t a surprise, it was a “kick in the teeth” for patients.

“We were advised back in October that the charge would come into effect by November – this has now been pushed back to Jan 2022. 

“It’s another kick in the teeth so to speak, for patients who already have to privately fund their medical cannabis prescriptions,” he told Cannabis Health.

“Many patients have welcomed the local clinics and some will not incur the import license charge if switched, but it can hit patients either way, if staying with the UK or moving to local clinics. 

“Switching to local means limited access to some of the available products and ranges. One of the flower ranges also costs more locally than via a UK clinic. But if you stay with a UK clinic, you now have to absorb additional costs.” 

Gary Whipp CEO of Medicann told Cannabis Health that the costs of all its products are on a par with those in the UK.

“It all depends what product a patient is on and how they get it and where they get it from, but we get our products direct from our producer and sell it for the same price as they do in the UK,” he said

“We are always trying to drive down the price to pass that on to the patient. We are bringing in lots of different medications and strains and prices are coming down. We’re also talking about whether our prescriptions should be eligible for payment from the Government like any other that’s written by a GP.”

Mr Whipp added: “The costs of running a clinic in Jersey and Guernsey are not cheap, doctors are not cheap and pharmacy dispensing is not cheap, but we are doing our best to get the best possible product at the right price. And actually, what we find is that the majority of people say they’d rather deal with a local clinic.”

Cannabis Health has contacted the Health and Social Care Committee for comment.