The mother of a seriously ill six-year-old boy has condemned a Government decision to deny him a potentially life-changing cannabis treatment.

Alfie Dingley, from Warwickshire, has a rare and extreme form of epilepsy and can suffer up to 30 seizures a day.

His parents want to treat him with cannabis oil, which is illegal in the UK.

In September, Hannah Deacon and Drew Dingley took their son to the Netherlands so he could take a cannabis-based medicine prescribed by a paediatric neurologist. They said this reduced his seizures in number, duration and severity.

But the family could not afford to continue the treatment and had to return to the UK, where they concentrated on lobbying for a cannabis licence.


The Home Office denied the licence, saying the drug "cannot be practically prescribed, administered or supplied to the public".

Ms Deacon says Alfie "deserves to have a better quality of life" and that she will "not stop fighting for him".

She has called on the public to help lobby for a change in the law.

"I find it astonishing that they are treating our case like we're trying to get our hands on snake oil," she said.

"It (medicinal cannabis) is legal throughout Europe, it's recognised throughout Europe as a proper treatment - as a pharma-grade product, it's just that the UK has not caught up yet - yet the Home Office can't see that. It's wrong."

Image: The Home Office will not issue a cannabis licence

The decision comes despite support from some MPs, including those in the all-party parliamentary group on drug policy reform.

Ms Deacon said: "Our neurologist said that if we don't get him off these prescribed drugs, it can have serious mental health implications for my son.

"Alfie understands a lot more than he can say. He's traumatised when he has to go to hospital.

"He cries and screams. He's had to be held down by numerous people.

"We don't have 10 years to wait for this. Alfie might not be here by the time the drug is approved in this country.

"We're not opening the door to the whole world - there are about nine boys with the same condition as Alfie."

In a statement, a Home Office spokesman said: "We recognise that people with chronic pain and debilitating illnesses are looking to alleviate their symptoms.

"However, it is important that medicines are thoroughly tested to ensure they meet rigorous standards before being placed on the market, so that doctors and patients are assured of their efficacy, quality and safety.

"Cannabis is listed as a Schedule 1 drug, as in its raw form it is not recognised in the UK as having any medicinal benefit and is therefore subject to strict control restrictions.

"This means it cannot be practically prescribed, administered, or supplied to the public in the UK, and can only be used for research under a Home Office licence.

"The Home Office would not issue a licence to enable the personal consumption of a Schedule 1 drug."