Why medicinal cannabis is gaining more popularity in Bristol

Bristol is among the cities in the UK that have highly embraced medical cannabis in recent years. Since cannabis gained approval in the UK in 2018 to be used for medical reasons, many patients are now using it as a natural alternative for various conditions.

Healthcare providers in Bristol have been getting more and more patients that are accepting cannabis based prescriptions. The good thing is that these providers have been given permission by the government to make such prescriptions. For example, healthcare providers like Releaf have specialists that are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and also follow strict guidelines that have been set by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

But you might be wondering why patients are flocking into these healthcare facilities. This article will be giving more information on the same.

The relief of chronic pain
Research has shown that, due to the surge of the UK’s ageing population, more people are more likely to suffer from chronic pain in the next few years. Data by the Health Foundation think tank speculated that the number of people with chronic pain over the age of 20 was set to soar from 5.3 million in 2019 to 7.2 million in 2040. This means that there is a growing need for the government to spend on pain-relieving medications.

The use of CBD has been growing in popularity in the UK as an alternative for pain relief. Interestingly, the use of cannabis for pain relief goes back to ancient China in 2900 BC, where researchers claim that it was a common medication back then. Today, many people are using CBD-based medication for back, neck, and other types of pain. Athletes and older people are the ones that have been pushing the most.

However, there has not been any conclusive research on the use of CBD products for pain relief, but the available research is positive. Cannabis-based products have been proven to deal with:

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Neuropathic pain
• Cancer-related pain

Many people have been going online to look for various CBD oil reviews in order to find the best products for the pains they are experiencing. However, it is important that before you can use any CBD-based product, get a proper prescription from a qualified medical practitioner.

Help dealing with seizures
Cannabidiol has been endorsed by the government as the only cannabis-based medicine for treating epilepsy in the UK. Operating under the brand name Epidyolex, it has been given the go-ahead to treat two types of epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and seizures that come as an effect of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

In the UK, over 630,000 people live with epilepsy. The good thing about Epidyolex is that it can be administered to patients of all ages, as long as they are over the age of 2 years. The drug has been shown to reduce the severity of seizures by a significant margin.

However, in the UK, Epidyolex is recommended only if you have tried at least 2 more epilepsy medicines to manage your seizures. However, as stated above, it is vital that you involve a specialist whenever you want to use CBD-based medication for whatever condition.

Local trials and patient stories are raising awareness
There are many clinical trials that happen all over the UK, and particularly in Bristol. These clinical trials, plus personal accounts of people who have benefited from these trials, have been increasing the popularity of medical cannabis.

For example, in 2023, a Bristol woman (Andrea Wright) gave an account of how medicinal cannabis helped deal with her chronic pain. Between 2013 and 2022, Andrea suffered intense pain that forced her to retire from her job at just 33 years old.

Andrea was diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis and Fibromyalgia, and was forced to use a long list of medications, including opiates. It was in 2022 that she joined a medicinal cannabis trial, and from her story, that is what helped her manage her pain and go back to work.

Such stories push more people to join the medicinal cannabis bandwagon without thinking twice. The good thing about the products is that they are naturally occurring, meaning that they have fewer side effects. There are a number of clinical trials that happen all across the UK, which have created stories similar to that of Andrea.

Public attitudes in the city are relatively supportive
Although a good number of people in Bristol are still misinformed about the legal status of medicinal cannabis, many people still support its medicinal use. A recent study revealed that approximately 79% of Bristol residents think that medicinal cannabis prescriptions can only be found through the NHS, or that they cannot be prescribed for any health conditions. Despite that, 70% of the residents support it as a prescription for particular medical conditions.

The reasons behind Bristolians preferring cannabis-based medication are that:

• It offers a wider range of treatment options.
• It offers hope to people who have not responded to other therapies.
• They believe that it is a safe and viable option.
• They believe that it has fewer side effects.
• They agree with the evidence-based research on medical cannabis.

Even as more people open up to using medicinal cannabis, the positive results of the products can be seen. In the coming days, you can be sure that more people will be flocking to health facilities with the aim of using cannabis-based medications. However, more research on CBD is still going on, and patients need to be careful when using it.