A cannabis product used by people suffering from various conditions is now being tested by the National Health Service (NHS) in a move it has been said could potentially shift perceptions of the drug.

The ‘MediPen’, which contains the active ingredient cannabidoil, an oil extracted from the cannabis plant, is legal in the UK because it is fully non-psychoactive and is used to relieve a variety of conditions including depression, anxiety and arthritis.

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MediPen Ltd has reportedly been liaising with NHS production and regulatory support pharmacists who have been testing the oil over the last few months, according to the Independent.

A report on the testing process is due to be released, and could open the way for the beginning of a medical cannabis industry in the UK.

The company said it is confident consulting with the NHS will have a big impact on how the public views cannabis.

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“We’ve recently been working very closely with a team of NHS production and regulatory support pharmacists who’ve been able to meticulously analyze our proprietary formulation for both safety and cannabinoid concentration,” MediPen director Jordan Owen said.

“As the first consumer cannabis product to be tested by the NHS, we are confident that this will go a long way towards creating a properly regulated cannabis market in the UK and are extremely excited to see what the future holds,” he said.

Last year, a petition calling on the government to legalize the drug collected 237,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament in October but was dismissed out of hand.

The NHS did not comment on the testing process due to a non-disclosure agreement, which prevents the sharing of client information unless it is an official government body.