Cannabis may soon become a painkiller available in the NHS for those suffering from chronic pain.
Medicine Cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018 – but only with certain doses of the drug, usually using only certain parts of the plant.
‘Whole plant’ treatments are common in Germany, Canada, Israel and Australia, but not yet in the UK.
This could change after an upcoming trial conducted by private pain clinic chain LVL Health and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Times reported.
The trial, called Campaign, will begin later this month when 100 people will take part in a ‘feasibility study’ to see if everything is safe.
If everything goes according to plan, 5,000 patients will be enrolled in a full test to see if the treatment works.
The trial will be open to 18- to 85-year-olds who have been diagnosed with non-cancerous chronic pain – defined as chronic pain lasting more than three months.
Patients will use an inhaler, including a temper-proof cartridge, which vaporizes marijuana.
Anyone suffering from chronic pain will take their dose at once, it only takes five minutes.
Tony Samios of LVL Health says, ‘It’s not like you can puff on it all day.
Cannabis will cost রোগ 299 per patient per month.
Millions could benefit if the NHS begins to determine this in the next few years, Mr Samios added.
He argued that people using inhalers would benefit from “actually smoking and breathing the whole flower without being affected by carcinogens.”
It is hoped that legalizing the use of cannabis in this way will also prevent people from illegally buying self-medication from traders.
It may be safer and less addictive than opioids – the most common treatment for chronic pain.
“There is some evidence that medical marijuana can help with certain types of pain, although this evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend pain relief,” the NHS said.
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