However, the government response continues to illustrate a \u2018lack of understanding\u2019 of the sector and has been dubbed \u2018predictably poor\u2019 by industry experts who attended the debate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Titled the \u2018economic contribution of medical cannabis\u2019, the debate was led by Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, David Mundell and covered the issues around the domestic production of medicinal cannabis, the CBD industry and the barriers preventing patients from accessing cannabis-based medicines on the NHS.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n A number of MPs heralded the potential economic benefits of the UK\u2019s medical cannabis industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Some estimates predict that a thriving sector could create over 100,000 new jobs, with the medical cannabis industry expected to reach \u00a32.4 billion by 2024 and a domestic CBD market worth \u00a31 billion by 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n In his opening speech, Mundell acknowledged that in 2021 the UK produced 329 tonnes of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, of which 213 tonnes were exported.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBeneath those impressive headline figures, though, is the impact that the industry can have on local economies and local communities,” said Mundell, whose constituency is home to one of the largest production facilities in the UK, owned by Hilltop Leaf.<\/span><\/p>\n Fellow Conservative MP, Jeremy Wright added: \u201cIt simply makes no sense to create a demand and then refuse to allow our domestic producers to meet it, and instead to import all the products.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDoing that is not just a wasted economic opportunity, but has a direct healthcare effect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n There were numerous calls for a review of the current regulations and the rescheduling of cannabis<\/a> to help overcome some of the complex and costly challenges in the current licensing process.\u00a0<\/span>The suggestion of a government-appointed senior official to engage directly with the industry was also made.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, with no Home Office ministers present, the task of responding fell to the Minister for Health and Secondary Care, Will Quince and focused largely on the barriers preventing NHS access.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n The debate took place in Westminster Hall on Thursday 20 April. Credit: UK Parliament<\/p><\/div>\n The Health Minister used the debate as an opportunity to announce the first details of upcoming NHS randomised control trials<\/a> (RCTs) on CBD and THC products in adults and children with drug-resistant epilepsy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The trials will be undertaken by researchers at University College London, with a tender opportunity for commercial partners wishing to supply the products for these trials expected to launch \u2018in the next few weeks\u2019 in order to commence \u2018as soon as possible\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n Long-time medical cannabis advocate, SNP MP Ronnie Cowan, highlighted that many parents – particularly those with children already being successfully treated with cannabis products – would be reluctant<\/a> to enter their child into a RCT due to the risk of them being given a placebo.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI have three kids and two grandkids. If one of them was suffering from intractable epilepsy and I had them on Bedrocan, and they were either seizure-free or had the condition under control, I would not want to hand them over to a random control test where they might be fed a placebo and therefore incur more damage,\u201d he said. \u201cWould the Minister?<\/span><\/p>\n Quince responded: \u201cThat is a difficult question to answer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The Health Minister has also been pulled up on his incorrect statements around the need for medicines to be licensed \u2018for use and prescription in the NHS\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is simply wrong,\u201d said campaigner and director of Maple Tree Consultants,<\/a> Hannah Deacon, who attended and helped secure the debate.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMany medications that are prescribed – especially for children with epilepsy – are lacking safety evidence and are unlicensed or prescribed off-label. The very nature of refractory epilepsy is that children are diagnosed very young and the conditions are very rare. The ability to undertake trials ethically in children with these conditions is very difficult, hence why they’re not done.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Data from the NHS Business Service Authority – highlighted by Alice Salisbury, parent to a child with a rare form of epilepsy – shows that over 30,000 prescriptions for \u2018specials\u2019 or unlicensed medicines are written each month, according to equating to around \u00a34.5million per month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps @willquince<\/a> would like to make his argument that unlicensed medications shouldn\u2019t be prescribed on the NHS to the UK Pharma Industry and see how it goes down. Because at the moment about 30k special prescriptions are written\/month\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/3YUVNEbZ2M<\/a><\/p>— Alice Salisbury (@alicesalisburyj) April 21, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>Cross-party support for medical cannabis industry<\/b><\/h4>\n
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First details of NHS trials\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n
Incorrect claims around unlicensed medicines\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n