2018 was a big year for medical cannabis legalisation in the U.K. Alfie Dingley, a seven year old epileptic boy changed the outlook on cannabis after his mother launched a petition to legalise cannabis oil. The petition got over 718,384 signatures and was discussed in parliament. It seemed like victory when the UK government announced that medical cannabis would be legal and that the NHS would roll out prescriptions in February 2019.

Carly Barton, 32, uses cannabis to help cope with pain that comes with her health condition fibromyalgia.

After a severe stroke in her 20’s, Barton was one of the first patients to be privately prescribed medical cannabis with the recent change in law.

Carly shockingly revealed that it costs her £1,300 for a month’s supply and that the private prescription just wasn’t sustainable.

Carly Barton

The next step for Carly was to get a prescription from the NHS which was vigorously denied, despite having a referral from an NHS pain specialist with an overwhelming file of evidence proving that cannabis has had a positive effect on her health in the initial month Carly received the private prescription.

“The system does not work. This means I am again at risk and forced back to the criminal market of which I do not wish to participate.” Carly in her open letter to Sussex police

Carly has now stated in a letter to Sussex Police that she is openly going to cultivate cannabis in the same quantity that had been previously prescribed to her.

Carly Barton’s letter to Sussex Police

It looks like the U.K. definitely won’t be looking at legalising the recreational use of cannabis any time soon, especially with a big distraction like Brexit. The prescriptions that were rolled out in February have been met with controversy and criticism as the goverment indiscriminately hand picks which health conditions medical cannabis should be prescribed to. As the positive results for medical cannabis show over this year, we’re hopeful patients like Carly will be able to obtain their medication safely and without judgement.