Private clinics are offering ‘medical cannabis’ to mentally unwell patients – despite there being ‘no good evidence’ the drug can help, experts have warned.
A Mail on Sunday investigation has discovered firms are claiming cannabis can treat a range of serious conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and insomnia.
Others advertise that ‘you don’t need a serious medical condition to be prescribed cannabis’.
One company, Releaf, lists 97 conditions, including long Covid, acid reflux, endometriosis and joint pain, among issues the drug can treat.
Cannabis was legalised for medical use in 2018 after pressure from parents of children with severe epilepsy who allegedly benefited from the drug.
It is available on the NHS under strict guidelines to help control seizures, for chronic pain and to those with the degenerative condition multiple sclerosis – however, just 110 prescriptions have been issued in the past five years.
Doctors speaking to the MoS say the law change and a ‘lack of regulation’ has allowed private clinics to offer cannabis for even mild ailments.
Last year, private cannabis prescriptions doubled – reaching nearly 180,000 – according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Private clinics are offering ‘medical cannabis’ to mentally unwell patients – despite there being ‘no good evidence’ the drug can help, experts have warned (Sotck image)
In a social media advert for the firm Alternaleaf, BBC broadcaster Natalie Pike claims that using cannabis means she has ‘finally found a solution’ to her sleep problems
Releaf claims to see more than 100 patients daily, with 45,000 expected to be on its books by the end of the year. It claims there are potentially three million people across the country who could be offered cannabis under its own eligibility criteria.
Yet leading psychiatrist Professor Sir Robin Murray, of King’s College London, said the clinics are ‘causing harm to the people they are claiming to help’. He added: ‘There is no good scientific evidence whatsoever that cannabis helps with most of [these] conditions.’
Freedom of Information requests by this newspaper show there have been 247 adverse reactions and seven deaths linked to cannabis products recorded in the past five years by the UK drugs regulator.
About 1,000 people were treated in each of the past three years on the NHS for the effects of cannabis, with 80 per cent suffering severe mental health problems.
Sir Robin warns: ‘Around a third of all patients I see with psychosis are cannabis-dependent now. This never used to be the case – it is definitely on the rise.’
There are 22 cannabis clinics registered with the CQC, which regulates medical facilities, and 40 pharmacies dispensing the products.
A private prescription can cost about £250 a month after set-up fees of £350. Patients must attend a remote consultation with a doctor and have tried two previous treatments to receive the drug.
Leading psychiatrist Professor Sir Robin Murray, of King’s College London, said the clinics are ‘causing harm to the people they are claiming to help’
On the NHS only three cannabis-based oils are licensed for medical use, while private clinics offer hundreds of types.
‘It feels like there’s now an ‘anything goes’ attitude when it comes to cannabis,’ said Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King’s College London.
‘Private clinics are making health claims with little or no evidence to back it up and no one seems to be stopping them. Ultimately, it’s a huge risk to patients.’
And in a social media advert for the firm Alternaleaf, BBC broadcaster Natalie Pike claims that using cannabis means she has ‘finally found a solution’ to her sleep problems.
She says patients can get a prescription within 72 hours for conditions including anxiety, depression ADHD and chronic pain, adding: ‘It is that easy.’
Clinic Mademica claims cannabis is an alternative for treating ADHD without the ‘zombie effects’ of standard medication, according to its press release. It also says the drug is a ‘natural holistic treatment option’.
But a review published last month by University of Oxford found the only effective treatments for ADHD are the standard stimulants and atomoxetine.
Sir Robin said: ‘For psychological conditions, cannabis has the same effect as drinking a pint.
BBC broadcaster Natalie Pike appearing before the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium
‘It may help take your mind away from the symptoms in the short term but then you want to have more and more drinks, with long-term consequences.
‘There needs to be much closer supervision of these clinics.’
A Mademica spokesman said: ‘While it is true that we prescribe unlicensed medicines which have not gone through clinical trials, a substantial number of our patients have reported that cannabis-based prescription medicines have been highly effective in managing their ADHD condition.
‘We welcome regulations that promote excellence in patient care. We collaborate closely with the CQC, General Pharmaceutical Counsel, Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency, and the Home Office to ensure our services are fully compliant.’
Alternaleaf and Releaf did not respond to a request for comment.
