Law United Kingdom

[momofthegoons]

UK’s First Medical Cannabis Clinic Opens in Greater Manchester

The Beeches private health centre in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, has become the first specialist medical cannabis treatment clinic in the UK ( PA )
The UK’s first specialist medical cannabis clinic has opened in Greater Manchester.

It follows the government announcement that specialist doctors could prescribe cannabis products to patients for medicinal use from November.

The decisions by medics need to be made on a case-by-case basis and only when the patient has an unmet special clinical need that cannot be met by licensed products.


The clinical director at The Beeches private health centre, next to the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, is Professor Mike Barnes, who helped secure the first medicinal cannabis licence for young epilepsy sufferer Alfie Dingley.

Prof Barnes said: “Patients suffering from chronic pain and other serious neurological or psychiatric conditions have been crying out for this kind of life-changing treatment.

“This clinic will represent a lifeline to those who have found other treatments ineffective. This also brings the UK into line with other countries when it comes to pain management.

“The hope is that over time patients all around the country and not just in Manchester will have access to the relief that they need.”

He told The Times newspaper that patients will pay about £200 to see a doctor and then £600 to £700 a month for a private prescription.

Bosses at the clinic say it will provide a lifeline to those experiencing chronic pain, with only four patients successfully accessing such treatment via the NHS despite the change in law.

Dr David McDowell, an independent pain specialist who will run The Beeches, has prescribed medicinal cannabis to Open University student Forzana Nasir, 32, from south London.

Ms Nasir suffers from the genetic condition Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which leaves her in severe pain and suffering from nausea and vomiting.


Since using medical cannabis she has gone from taking 13 different medications a day to three, said the clinic.

Ms Nasir said: “Having access to this medicine allows me to ease my chronic pain which turns an unbearable day into a manageable day. It has been life-changing for me. I was almost bedbound before this and now I have much greater quality of life.

“It is so important that other patients in the UK who are suffering can have the same opportunity. This clinic opening is a significant step forward for healthcare in this country.”

 

[momofthegoons]

Falkirk dad creates cannabis ice cream as Ben and Jerry’s reveal plans to do the same

SCOTS cafe boss scooped Ben & Jerry’s to create a cannabis oil ice cream.

Kyle Gentleman, 28, mixes his homemade vanilla pud with three drops of legal CBD liquid.


How a cannabis Mr Whippy van could look


He serves up his creation for £2.50 a time — beating the US giant which revealed similar plans this month.

The dad, of Falkirk, said: “Word spread quickly and it ran out fast. It has an earthy taste, but I like it.


Elaine and Kyle teamed up to create the ice creamCredit: SWNS:South West News Service


“I know Ben and Jerry’s are trying to do this but I managed to beat them as my shop is much smaller.”

Kyle said he came up with the idea for the dessert — thought to be the UK’s first — at his ICE cafes in Falkirk and Larbert after hearing claims that the oil eases depression, insomnia and epilepsy.

He joined forces for the project with Elaine Grant, 48, who runsthe local Natures Medics health shop and reckons CBD helps her mum’s arthritis.

The cannabis-derived product is legal as it does not have enough of the chemical THC to make users high

 

[Baron23]

Tilray® imports bulk supply of medical cannabis oil into the United Kingdom

Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY), a global pioneer in cannabis research, cultivation, production and distribution, today announced it has imported medical cannabis oral solutions in bulk into the United Kingdom from its Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-certified facility in Canada. This export allows Tilray to provide authorized U.K. patients in need with a locally maintained supply of medical cannabis oral solutions.

In September 2018, Tilray announced the successful import of Tilray 2:100 medical cannabis oil for a pediatric patient in need in the United Kingdom. Tilray’s 2:100 cannabis oil was supplied via a government-approved special access program following the U.K. Home Secretary’s historic announcement that declared prescriptions of cannabis-derived medicines legal for patients with an exceptional clinical need.

“As demand ramps up in the U.K., Tilray is well positioned to be a leading supplier of medical cannabis products,” says Sascha Mielcarek, Managing Director of Tilray Europe. “Regulations are progressing as more and more countries across Europe are recognizing the benefits of medical cannabis and its potential to improve patients’ quality of life. We’re pleased to reaffirm our commitment to delivering medical cannabis to patients in the U.K. and look forward to offering a variety of GMP-certified, pharmaceutical-grade products in the coming months.”

Tilray has six medical cannabis products approved for medical use in the U.K. that can be made available to patients with medical cannabis prescriptions obtained through private practice or the National Health Service. Tilray anticipates supplying a variety of cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-dominant and balanced oral solutions for patients looking to use medicines derived from cannabis.

“This bulk import of Tilray medical cannabis oral solutions provides patients in need access to a sustained supply of GMP-certified, high quality medical cannabis,” says Catherine Jacobson, Tilray’s Vice President of Medical and Regulatory Affairs. “This is an important step in improving access in the U.K. Tilray will continue to advocate for reasonable patient access to medical cannabis in the U.K. and countries around the world.”

 

[Baron23]

Medical cannabis firms press UK to loosen prescription rules

The world’s largest medicinal cannabis company has urged the government to allow GPs to prescribe the drug, calling on the UK to be a “leader not a laggard” in one of the world’s fastest growing major industries.

Cam Battley, chief corporate officer of Canada-based Aurora Cannabis, said the UK was failing patients who might benefit from medicinal cannabis, as well as forfeiting economic gain, due to the restrictions of the existing regulatory regime.

Sajid Javid, the home secretary, authorised the use of medicinal products derived from cannabis last year following a long-running campaign fronted by the parents of children suffering severe epilepsy, who reported that cannabis oil helped with their condition.

But it can only be prescribed by specialist physicians and cannot be imported until a prescription has been issued. These rules, coupled with division among doctors about how effective it is, means fewer than 100 patients are thought to have been prescribed it.

“What was the point of creating a medical cannabis system if patients can’t access it?” Battley said, speaking at the annual Cannabis Europa conference in London, attended by leading firms in the nascent but already multibillion dollar industry.

“It’s time for the UK to take this system that is not working and make it work,” he said. “Let’s make sure that general practitioners can prescribe. There’s no need for requiring a specialist consultant to write a prescription. I’d like to see the UK be a leader, not a laggard.”

David Henn, chief executive of Germany-based Cannamedical, backed Battley, saying the law “does not make great sense for patients” and also forced up costs.

He said restrictions on imports caused by the UK’s regulatory regime meant that Cannamedical could profitably sell medicinal cannabis to pharmacies in Germany at €10 a gram but would have to ask for £30 a gram to achieve the same margin in the UK.

“We need to be able to hold stock, bring in larger amounts so that as soon as there is a prescription you can distribute to pharmacies,” he said.

He added that a no-deal Brexit could make it near-impossible for UK patients to obtain medicinal cannabis, unless the UK aligns itself with EU rules on good manufacturing practice.

Campaigners and companies that produce cannabis say patients have reported that it can help with pain, epilepsy and nausea, including sickness caused by chemotherapy.

Battley told the Guardian that the company was “making progress” in discussions with the government about loosening regulation, adding that it was only in the last year that politicians had been willing to speak to the company.

He pointed to Aurora’s domestic market of Canada, where he said the number of patients had gone from a handful to 400,000 in just a few years, with 20,000 physicians having prescribed cannabis since its medical use was legalised in 2001.

Recreational marijuana is also legal in Canada, which has become the de facto centre of the global industry, hosting giants such as Aurora, which produces 160,000kg of dried flower a year and has a stock market value of more than £5.5bn.

Canopy Growth, a rival which trades under the stock market ticker WEED and has a partnership with rapper Snoop Dogg, is the largest company by stock market value, at £10.6bn.

Battley also warned that the UK was missing out on developing its own cannabis industry due to the restrictive regulatory environment.

“It’s not that often that a new industry is invented in real time. The UK should grab hold of that and the jobs that will ensue.

“Otherwise there will be questions asked and fingers pointed about who missed the opportunity. I’d like to have a very robust presence here. This country is ideal.”

He also predicted that the UK would eventually legalise cannabis for recreational use but said that policymakers would reach this decision “organically”.

 

[momofthegoons]

Is The UK About To Legalize Marijuana Ahead Of The US?

While Congress and activists met for the first time to discuss ending marijuana prohibition in the United States last week — there was plenty of “disagreement and debate,” reported Marijuana Moment — all signs continue to point toward federal legalization remaining a ways away. Though many Democratic presidential nominees favor the reversal of prohibition and two in three American support legalization, other politicians remain reticent to embrace such change so quickly.


Those over in the U.K. face a similar predicament, if a recent poll can serve as indication. Conducted by YouGov, the poll represents a “clear and growing appetite” for reforming drug laws in the UK, says the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, which commissioned the study.

Numbers, as they say, don’t lie. The poll shows a vast majority support medical marijuana legalization in the UK (77%). Meanwhile, those who support legalizing adult-use cannabis double the number of those who oppose it (48% compared to 24%). That’s an increase of 5%, according to Dazed Digital.

“This survey shows the government and politicians are significantly behind the public’s thinking,” Rob Wilson, CDPRG’s chief executive, told The Independent.


“It illustrates the widening gulf between the stubborn, decades-old policies of blanket prohibition and the developing attitude of millions of voters willing to apply new approaches focused on improving harm reduction and healthcare outcomes,” he added.

Whether this results in widespread change remains debatable, though that is the goal of CDPRG. The U.K. legalized some forms of medical marijuana last year, but remains difficult to access for many families due to bureaucratic and financial burdens. Wilson hopes these number could incur change in the country.

“The findings of this survey demonstrate the urgent need for policymakers and government to start to rethink policy as part of an open, fully informed and evidence-based debate on the future of drugs policy,” he said.

 

[momofthegoons]

Masked Activists Hand Out Nearly $1000 Worth of Cannabis in Manchester

Two people in black masks were recorded handing out the free cannabis, claiming it was “literally just the start.”

There are growing calls in the United Kingdom to legalize recreational marijuana, with parliamentary officials even suggesting that it could be done in the next five years. But some people apparently aren’t willing to wait that long.

A pair of individuals, both clad in black masks, were filmed in Manchester this month doling out free cannabis to passersby. The video shows the two in Piccadilly Gardens, one of the city’s major green spaces, unfurling a sign that makes it abundantly clear what they set out to do: “FREE BUD ‘SOUVENIRS.’” The duration of the footage plays out as you would expect, with the masked individuals — donning black attire from head to toe — pulling out one marijuana bud after another to an ever-swelling group of park-goers.

The two individuals reportedly passed out £800 (about $980) worth of free marijuana. Video of the stunt surfaced online Monday, but according to Lad Bible, it was shot on July 14. “One of the two pot peddlers, however, was intercepted by police and arrested as they headed home,” Metro reported. The other individual involved, identified only as “Outlaw,” told Metro that he successfully evaded authorities.

“‘You can’t arrest a character with a made up name and no face. Outlaw’s lawyers are right on top of the game,” the anonymous individual said, adding that the free pot-giveaway was “literally just the start.”


“We question UK laws and legislation and like to test the authority,” Outlaw told Metro. “Until somebody can convince us that there’s a legitimate reason for cannabis to be illegal, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing and keep pushing the barrier, regardless of the law.”

There are some lawmakers in Britain who share that view. A group of members of parliament recently returned from a fact-finding mission in Canada to Great Britain with a bullish outlook for the legalization movement in Britain, where marijuana is still classified as a “Class B” drug, making possession, cultivation, and distribution illegal. Two MPs who participated in the trip to Canada, David Lammy of the Labour party and the Lib Dem Norman Lamb, both predicted that marijuana would be available to purchase legally in the UK in the next five years. Medical cannabis was made legal in Great Britain last year, but its rollout has been marred by restrictions that have made the treatment unattainable for many would-be patients.

Lammy, a legalization advocate, laid out what his vision for a legitimate marijuana market in Britain.


“I want the market legalised, regulated and taken away from crime gangs,” Lammy said, as quoted by Metro. “‘I want to see the strength of the stuff reduced, labelled, and properly organised in this country.”

 

[momofthegoons]

There is a tweet from Blair Gibbs in the article that I couldn't link. Follow the title link to view.
Britain’s Conservative Leader Hires Marijuana Reform Advocates For Key Posts

Two top aides who will be whispering in the ear of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson are outspoken advocates for marijuana law reform.

Johnson, who became PM last week, recently hired on policy advisor Blair Gibbs, who previously served as the policy lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis, which represents marijuana industry stakeholders and supports legalizing medical cannabis.

As BuzzFeed News reported, Gibbs has repeatedly voiced support for broader legalization, condemned prohibition and said that Canada’s legal marijuana laws represents “a rare example of bold policy and good government.”
Occupying another top position, Danny Kruger, Johnson’s political secretary, is also an opponent of prohibition who said we “do not need to ban everything bad” and that youth consumption could be deterred through cultural disapproval rather than punitive anti-drug laws.

The staffing decisions seem to bode well for reform under the Conservative leader’s new administration.

“It’s a welcome sign of the shift in popular thinking in the UK that the PM is comfortable bringing such a prominent cannabis reform advocate into his team,” Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst for the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, told Marijuana Moment, referring to Gibbs’s hiring.

Though Johnson himself has not indicated he’s supportive of legalization, despite describinghis past experience with cannabis as “jolly nice,” there’s a growing conservative embrace of marijuana that could spark change.

Conservative MP Jonathan Djanogly, who was part of a cross-party group of lawmakers that recently visited Canada to learn about the country’s legal cannabis market, said after the tour that “we have got a lot to learn before the legalisation of recreational cannabis, which I think will happen at some point” in the UK in the next 10 to 15 years.

But while right-leaning voices in the UK are starting to break through in favor of reform, owing in part to support from the advocacy group VolteFace and the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, divisions are developing among reformers as social justice-minded activists push for an equity-oriented legalization plan.

“One aspect which clearly concerns grassroots and longtime campaigners alike—as well as organisations with a social justice remit—is how the reform model could look,” Jason Reed, executive director of the pro-legalization Law Enforcement Action Partnership UK, told Marijuana Moment. “This is now the conversation; the case for social equity models, such as Massachusetts, is arguably the next big topic for discussion.”

“It’s now more likely we’ll be speaking about howcannabis will be reformed in the UK as opposed to when.”

Similar conversations are being had in the U.S. government as well, where there’s growing bipartisan sentiment around reforming federal marijuana laws but differing views on the best approach to accomplish that.

According to a recent YouGov poll, 53 percent of UK adults support legalizing cannabis. Over in the U.S., that figure was 10 percentage points higher in a survey released earlier this month.

Reed said that between the cannabis-friendly appointments of Johnson and the “cross-party consensus” around reform, “it’s certainly conceivable the UK will see cannabis laws reformed in the near future.”

 

[Baron23]

Its failing....I mean, its hard to tell that the UK has ever had a true med program.

Is it true that THC "oil" (assume this is THC in coconut oil or the like and intended for sublingual?) will be allowed.

So, the program is CBD oil and THC oil and nothing else, right?


One year on and U.K. medical cannabis regime is failing

The United Kingdom’s Home Secretary Sajid Javid is holding to the commitment he made in July to reclassify medical cannabis. Officials are expecting an announcement in a couple of weeks. But reports indicate the Home Secretary has already approved the reclassification that will permit the National Health Service (NHS) to prescribe cannabis treatments. And that means patients with severe illnesses in the United Kingdom will have medical cannabis within a month.

UK Home Secretary Moves To Reclassify THC Oil as Medicine

In July, UK officials made a major drug policy announcement. Shortly after taking office as part of Theresa May’s administration, Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced his plan to reclassify certain forms of cannabis as “Schedule 2” substances. Like the U.S. government, the U.K. has long-considered cannabis a “Schedule 1” drug with no medicinal or therapeutic value. But lowering cannabis’ classification would mean that physicians in the U.K., including the NHS, would be able to legally prescribe it.

In this respect, the U.K. has been well behind its Eurozone counterparts. Any kind of use or possession of cannabis is illegal in the U.K, with very few medical exceptions. Certain parties are able to research medical cannabis, but only with a Home Office license. A very limited number of patients have been able access the synthetic THC drug Nabilone. But other than that, the only cannabis-based medicine the U.K. allows is Sativex. At the same time, the U.K. is home to leading medical cannabis firm GW Pharmaceuticals. GW’s epilepsy medication, Epidiolex, recently got FDA approval, making it the first cannabis-based drug to receive federal approval in the United States.

But after favorable and comprehensive review of the medical and therapeutic applications of cannabis by U.K. drug advisers and England’s chief medical officer this summer, Javid announced his intent to list cannabis as a Schedule 2 drug. Now, the policy change is a mere two weeks away. Following that, qualifying patients should be able to obtain prescriptions and purchase medical cannabis within the month. Or, in the words of Javid, “by autumn.”

Millions of People Could Qualify for THC Oil in the U.K.
When Javid announced the planned rescheduling in July, he cited public outcry over cases of young children suffering from intractable epilepsy. The case of Billy Caldwell, whose cannabis oil was seized as he and his mother re-entered the U.K. from Canada, entered the public spotlight in June. Many credit Caldwell’s case and his mother’s persistence with the Home Office for prompting Javid’s policy announcement. The reclassification of cannabis oil will open up access to patients with severe clinical needs, like Billy.

It’s important to note that the reclassification applies to cannabis-derived THC oil exclusively. Doctors cannot prescribe botanical forms of cannabis, which remain illegal. Hemp- and cannabis-derived CBD oils with no THC are already legal and widely available across the U.K. There are, however, hardly any restrictions on who will be eligible to obtain THC oil. Patients with epilepsy, MS, nausea and other symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatments and chronic pain will be eligible. Ultimately, the decision to prescribe will be up to NHS physicians and their patients, at least for the time being.

There are nearly 28 million people suffering from chronic pain in what The Guardian called a “silent epidemic.” Every day, 87 people in the U.K. are diagnosed with epilepsy, a condition affecting about one out of every 100 U.K. residents.

 

[momofthegoons]

Hidden Tunnel Reveals $51 Million Grow Under Victorian Theater In England

The history in a 120-year-old building is priceless. Or in the case of an old, Victorian-style theater in London, about £40 million ($51 million).

That’s because police there recently made a stunning discovery: in the bowels of the 750-seat Broadway Theatre, authorities uncovered a massive (and lucrative) cannabis farm.

Both Metro and the Mail Online reported that London police believe that the weed factory had been in operation for about a decade, and that those running it likely cleared £4 million ($5.1 million) a year.

The discovery of the farm might be as incredible as the existence of the farm itself. Responding to a break-in at a house located near the theater, police noticed that the floor of one of the bathrooms was hollow. From there, they discovered a tunnel leading from the bathroom to a car park—and in the direction of the old theater’s abandoned basement.


Originally built in 1897, the Broadway Theatre was converted into a shopping center about 50 years ago. The basement housing the marijuana farm could not be accessed from the shops above, making it a choice hideout for the criminal operation.

Neighbors Became Concerned
In a statement reported by Metro, a spokesperson for London police described the bust: “On October 1, officers were called to an address following reports of a disturbance. They discovered a large number of cannabis plants along with equipment used in the cultivation of cannabis in an area beneath the residential properties. Three men, aged 28, 45, and 47, and a 36-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of the cultivation of cannabis. They have all been released under investigation.”

A man who lived next door to the house where the tunnel originated told Mail Online that he and his wife “sometimes heard what seemed like drilling.”


“It was never for very long but it vibrated the walls upstairs,” he said. “We had no idea what it was, we just thought it was some building work nearby – it’s a busy road.”

The October visit marked the third trip by London police to the house. The neighbor said police were called in August and in September after mysterious men tried to enter adjacent properties, including once attempting to kick in the door. It wasn’t until police were again dispatched on October 1 after yet another report of an attempted break-in that the extraordinary discovery was made.

“To think this has been happening next to us for ten years without any of us noticing is certainly surprising. I was shocked,” the neighbor said.

 

[momofthegoons]

Cheers in court as ex cannabis cafe owner who had 202 plants in wardrobe spared jail
Gary Youds pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin after plants were found in a wardrobe

Gary Youds pictured with his supporters outside Liverpool Crown Court in Derby Square. (Image: Liverpool Echo)

Cheers were heard in court today as a former owner of a cannabis cafe avoided jail.

Gary Youds, of Cavan Road, West Derby, had pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin after 202 plants were found in a wardrobe at his home by police on March 3, 2019.

The 50-year-old appeared in a packed court room at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, as supporters from across the country gathered to publicly stand by the dad-of-two.

At a previous hearing, on February 12, Youds pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis and producing a controlled drug, namely cannabis.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said police raided Youds' home and found the plants in a wardrobe.

She said Youds accepted the plants were on his property, but he didn't have the means to sustain all of the plants in the environment or grow them.

And at an earlier hearing Brendan Carville, defending, said his client said they were "only just plants because they didn't have roots - they were just cuttings."

Ms Mottram added that because Mr Youds suffers from arthritis, he had the cannabis plants at his property because "he doesn't take prescription medication for his condition".

She told the court: "He had grown them from seeds and they were CBD plants, which he said were legal and he was growing them to help with his arthritis."

Ms Mottram said a yield could not be determined by police from the hundreds of plants seized, as they had not developed enough to say how much worth they would have had.

Sentencing, Judge Anil Murray spared Youds a jail sentence.

Youds was given a community order for 12 months and told to attend 25 days of rehab for possessing cannabis.

He was then given another 12 month community order for producing cannabis, to run concurrently with his other sentence.

Claps could be heard from the public gallery as Youds was given his sentence, as some of his entourage of supporters thanked the judge while leaving the court room.

While relieved Youds did not receive a custodial sentence, some of his supporters claimed he should not have been arrested in the first place.

A supporter of Youds', Callie Blackwell said: "The community order is completely unfair, he's done nothing wrong."

Under UK law, cannabis is a Class B drug and those found to possess it can fave up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

Another supporter of his, Jannette Clements, said it was "ironic" Youds was given a community order when "he's been doing a community service for others".

The pool table inside The Chillin' Rooms illegal cannabis cafe in Holt Road, Kensington, run by Gary Youds, 47, of Cavan Road, Norris Green

The ECHO reported in 2017 how Youds was told to pay back just £600 of his £25,000 profits from his cannabis caf e.

Youds – described as a “martyr” for legalisation of the drug – was sentenced to nine months in January 2017 .

He was locked up after being caught running the illegal business in Holt Road, Kensington for the third time.

Police discovered £11,000 of cannabis, along with electronic scales and cash, when they raided the cafe on June 18, 2015.

Ms Clements, from East Surrey, said Youds was instrumental in bringing the community together, and argued his cafe was a force for good.

A menu showing the cannabis seemingly for sale at The Chillin' Rooms illegal cannabis cafe in Holt Road, Kensington, run by Gary Youds, 47, of Cavan Road, Norris Green

Agreeing, Ms Blackwell said: "He got people in the community a job. He got people off the dole and he was helping people."

Youds first applied to Liverpool council to convert the former taxi office into a “private members club” for cannabis smokers in 2002.

When councillors rejected his plans for the Tea Cafe in Holt Road, Kensington, the former property developer went ahead and set it up anyway.

Youds was then handed a conditional discharge for letting The Chillin’ Rooms cafe be used for smoking cannabis in 2005.

He ignored the punishment and was locked up for 12 months in 2006, after he also admitted to growing a crop at his home and dealing the drug.

Judge Brian Lewis, sentencing, on that occasion said: “Either you wanted to martyr yourself in the cause of the pro-cannabis lobby or you wanted to set up a cafe, a deliberate and blatant challenge to the law.”

 

[momofthegoons]

Scotland set to get its first legal cannabis farm
A large greenhouse will be built where the drug will be grown for use in medicines.

Scotland is set to get it’s first legal cannabisfarm, it can be revealed today.

A large greenhouse will be built where the drug will be grown for use in medicines.

Local agricultural entrepreneurs William and Neil Ewart have been given planning permission for the pioneering facility in Langholm, Scotland.

Ariel view of where the greenhouse for Scotland's first legal cannabis farm in Langholm, (Image: triangle news)


Medical cannabis products containing THC – the drug’s psychoactive compound – were illegal in the UK until the law was changed in November 2018.

The change recognised evidence by scientists that medicinal cannabis benefits some patients.

Specialist doctors can now prescribe medications based on cannabis, which are most commonly used to treat epilepsy or chronic pain.

However, all the drugs which doctors use are currently imported because it has been illegal to grow the drug here.

Neil Ewart, said: “This is an excellent step in the correct direction but there are so many other steps to be taken.”

The 1.5 hectare greenhouse could be hugely profitable, as the team expects to produce 200 litres of oil a year, which will be made on site from the raw plant material.

The oil will be extracted from the plant and bottled before being sold to pharmaceutical companies who will turn it into a medicine.

About 50 people will be recruited locally for jobs including scientists, IT specialists, horticulturalists and security.
The farm will also have it’s own on-site generator which generates electricity and captures any heat that would be used to help grow the plants.

Planning documents reveal the businessmen sought to build a commercial glasshouse, associated water storage tanks and a car park.

In its decision report in February, Dumfries and Galloway Council said that it offered an opportunity to diversify and support the existing business at the family business, Craig Farm.

Despite the project being granted planning permission, they will now need to apply for a licence to produce cannabis which can be used by pharmaceutical companies for drugs to treat cancer and its treatment side effects, epilepsy and pain disorders.

Neil Ewart said that they had to “demonstrate that Langholm is a fit place to do this kind of thing” stressing that they had a large team working on the project.
He added: “We have to apply to the Home Office for a licence after planning, that’s the next biggest hurdle.

“I don’t want to sound too optimistic and make too much of a fuss because things can go wrong but it’s a very exciting project for Langholm.”

The family already run a successful horse racing training school known as James Ewart Racing across their 500 hectare hill farm in Borders Esk valley at 400 feet above sea level.

Australian firm LeafCann had previously been in discussions with North Ayrshire Council and is thought to be investigating potential sites in Irvine.

The first legal weed farm in the UK was revealed in January 2019 when London-based Sativa Investments was given planning permission for a 7.5-acre greenhouse to be constructed at a secret site in Wiltshire.

A large unit also opened in Sittingbourne, Kent, in 1998 under a special government exemption prior to the new legislation in 2018.

Other businesses have also started opening Greenhouses across the country since the change in legislation making it easier to open them up.

Up to eight tons of the drug will be produced each year in sheds for medicinal compounds and cannabis oil products.

 

[Baron23]

"CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition."

The only reason cops need to exercise "discretion" is because once again idiot politicians can't pop their self-serving head out of their self-entitled ass long enough to enact a reasonable, logical, cannabis policy. So, stick the responsibility on the coppers. sigh

UK’s “CanCard” Launches​

A new medical cannabis card initiative in the UK is designed to provide a legal argument for exemption from prosecution for possession of cannabis. It won’t just be good for patients, but also police.

While cannabis medicines became legal in the UK in 2018, many patients are unable to afford costly prescription products, so they source cannabis via illicit channels. This not only carries risks relating to quality, but also prosecution; creating stress for patients and drain on police and court resources.

Designed with the input of doctors and supported by senior representatives of the Police Federation, CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition.

The creator of the card is Carly Barton, who was the first person in the UK to receive a prescription for herbal cannabis privately since the law change in 2018.
“Together we can unofficially decriminalise, for those most vulnerable, as we greatly reduce the possibility of a obtaining a conviction,” says Ms. Barton.
While it’s not clear is if all police officers will heed the card, it has some very high-level support within the force and the National Police Chiefs counsel has briefed forces throughout the UK about CanCard.

“The CanCard will provide them [patients] with assurance that their ill health will not lead to a criminal record, while it will also be a valuable tool to help frontline officers, saving them time by providing immediate verification of genuine medical patients and therefore giving them confidence to use their discretion,” said Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill.

In order to get a CanCard, an applicant must have one of the eligible conditions listed and then needs to upload supporting evidence including a summary of care from the patient’s GP’s surgery. The surgery is obligated to provide a summary of care without explanation for the request and regardless of a GP’s view on the use of medicinal cannabis.

The card is being provided for a fee of £20 a year, plus a one-off ID check fee of £10. However, there appears to be some support for patients unable to afford those fees.

“I did not join the police to arrest people who are simply unwell and trying to manage their symptoms or pain. In fact I joined to help people in that position,” says Simon Kempton, Drugs lead at The Police Federation. “Initiatives such as Cancard are important because they give police officers vital information which they can use when they have to make decisions on the street.”

 

[ataxian]

"CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition."

The only reason cops need to exercise "discretion" is because once again idiot politicians can't pop their self-serving head out of their self-entitled ass long enough to enact a reasonable, logical, cannabis policy. So, stick the responsibility on the coppers. sigh

UK’s “CanCard” Launches​

A new medical cannabis card initiative in the UK is designed to provide a legal argument for exemption from prosecution for possession of cannabis. It won’t just be good for patients, but also police.

While cannabis medicines became legal in the UK in 2018, many patients are unable to afford costly prescription products, so they source cannabis via illicit channels. This not only carries risks relating to quality, but also prosecution; creating stress for patients and drain on police and court resources.

Designed with the input of doctors and supported by senior representatives of the Police Federation, CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition.

The creator of the card is Carly Barton, who was the first person in the UK to receive a prescription for herbal cannabis privately since the law change in 2018.
“Together we can unofficially decriminalise, for those most vulnerable, as we greatly reduce the possibility of a obtaining a conviction,” says Ms. Barton.
While it’s not clear is if all police officers will heed the card, it has some very high-level support within the force and the National Police Chiefs counsel has briefed forces throughout the UK about CanCard.

“The CanCard will provide them [patients] with assurance that their ill health will not lead to a criminal record, while it will also be a valuable tool to help frontline officers, saving them time by providing immediate verification of genuine medical patients and therefore giving them confidence to use their discretion,” said Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill.

In order to get a CanCard, an applicant must have one of the eligible conditions listed and then needs to upload supporting evidence including a summary of care from the patient’s GP’s surgery. The surgery is obligated to provide a summary of care without explanation for the request and regardless of a GP’s view on the use of medicinal cannabis.

The card is being provided for a fee of £20 a year, plus a one-off ID check fee of £10. However, there appears to be some support for patients unable to afford those fees.

“I did not join the police to arrest people who are simply unwell and trying to manage their symptoms or pain. In fact I joined to help people in that position,” says Simon Kempton, Drugs lead at The Police Federation. “Initiatives such as Cancard are important because they give police officers vital information which they can use when they have to make decisions on the street.”

What about FRANCE?
R they changing their old CANNABIS law’s?
The wine grape’s R pretty decent so they would succeed as well!

 

[Baron23]

What about FRANCE?
R they changing their old CANNABIS law’s?

Hello, my friend. I have no idea what the state of play is in France. Sorry.

 

[ataxian]

Hello, my friend. I have no idea what the state of play is in France. Sorry.

I hate to ask family?
Hash is easy to obtain!

 

[Baron23]

Hash is easy to obtain!

Yes, real traditional hashish...north Africa for a lot of it, I think. Yeah? I mean, there isn't the same level of smuggling out of Pakistan and Afghanistan as there was in the late 60's/early 70's when hashish was king in the port cities of the USA north east. Gosh.....I loved smoking traditional hashish and would love to have some. And I would smoke it....screw vaping it. haha

 

[Kellya86]

"CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition."

The only reason cops need to exercise "discretion" is because once again idiot politicians can't pop their self-serving head out of their self-entitled ass long enough to enact a reasonable, logical, cannabis policy. So, stick the responsibility on the coppers. sigh

UK’s “CanCard” Launches​

A new medical cannabis card initiative in the UK is designed to provide a legal argument for exemption from prosecution for possession of cannabis. It won’t just be good for patients, but also police.

While cannabis medicines became legal in the UK in 2018, many patients are unable to afford costly prescription products, so they source cannabis via illicit channels. This not only carries risks relating to quality, but also prosecution; creating stress for patients and drain on police and court resources.

Designed with the input of doctors and supported by senior representatives of the Police Federation, CanCard provides a signal for police to exercise discretion by understanding the cardholder in possession of cannabis is medicating for their condition.

The creator of the card is Carly Barton, who was the first person in the UK to receive a prescription for herbal cannabis privately since the law change in 2018.
“Together we can unofficially decriminalise, for those most vulnerable, as we greatly reduce the possibility of a obtaining a conviction,” says Ms. Barton.
While it’s not clear is if all police officers will heed the card, it has some very high-level support within the force and the National Police Chiefs counsel has briefed forces throughout the UK about CanCard.

“The CanCard will provide them [patients] with assurance that their ill health will not lead to a criminal record, while it will also be a valuable tool to help frontline officers, saving them time by providing immediate verification of genuine medical patients and therefore giving them confidence to use their discretion,” said Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill.

In order to get a CanCard, an applicant must have one of the eligible conditions listed and then needs to upload supporting evidence including a summary of care from the patient’s GP’s surgery. The surgery is obligated to provide a summary of care without explanation for the request and regardless of a GP’s view on the use of medicinal cannabis.

The card is being provided for a fee of £20 a year, plus a one-off ID check fee of £10. However, there appears to be some support for patients unable to afford those fees.

“I did not join the police to arrest people who are simply unwell and trying to manage their symptoms or pain. In fact I joined to help people in that position,” says Simon Kempton, Drugs lead at The Police Federation. “Initiatives such as Cancard are important because they give police officers vital information which they can use when they have to make decisions on the street.”

I signed up for this...
But its all still just bullshit and still down to an individual police person to make the call...
And most police people are just dicks..
They are the weird people who were bullied at school..
Or dont have the balls for military life but still want a liscence to hurt people...
They all have a chip on their shoulder and love nothing more than lording their power over us..
So i think its pointless..
Our government jus wont legalise cannabis..

 

[ataxian]

I signed up for this...
But its all still just bullshit and still down to an individual police person to make the call...
And most police people are just dicks..
They are the weird people who were bullied at school..
Or dont have the balls for military life but still want a liscence to hurt people...
They all have a chip on their shoulder and love nothing more than lording their power over us..
So i think its pointless..
Our government jus wont legalise cannabis..

In the early part of the 1970’s my tribe would sail to Afghanistan to get brick’s of hash!
South America & South Africa 4 CANNABIS mostly outdoor grow’s!
$10.00 for 28 gram’s/once at the time?
However the federal government flying helicopter’s 2 look for grow’s created a period of darkness?
My friend’s in England drank beer and whiskey while Other part’s of the pale blue dot smoked CANNABIS COLAS?
Homo Sapien’s from the southern part of da island chain discovered by captain Cook from England!(easy to grow there?)
Rambling again? (Sorry)

 

[momofthegoons]

London Police Uncover Massive Cannabis Grow In City’s Financial District​

A group of cannabis growers have taken advantage of the now-empty financial district.

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. And when life hands you a pandemic…grow some weed?

That was apparently the idea behind a massive growhouse recently discovered by police in London’s financial district. The discovery, made on January 13, came on the heels of “reports of a strong smell of cannabis,” which has been brought to a standstill as of late due to shutdown measures imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Police there said they procured a warrant the following day to enter the premises, where they discovered an indoor “cannabis factory” containing 826 plants that were subsequently destroyed by officers.

“This is the first cannabis factory in the City, no doubt being set up in response to fewer people being out and about during the pandemic who might have noticed any unusual activity,” saidAndy Spooner, the London detective overseeing the investigation. “However, this demonstrates that City of London Police continues to actively police the Square Mile, bearing down on any crime committed here.”


Spooner added that London police “have made two arrests and our enquiries continue.”

An Opportunistic Grow Op​

The New York Times noted that London’s typically busy financial district “has emptied as the British government tries to tamp down a surge in coronavirus cases, instructing employees to work from home to curb transmission.”

“The area is normally teeming with people, particularly on weekdays. The London Stock Exchange and the corporate headquarters of major financial groups, as well as the Bank of England, are all tightly clustered in the zone, also known as the Square Mile,” the Timesreported, adding that a London spokeswoman said “the force policing the district usually dealt with economic crimes such as fraud,” and that a drug bust like this one “was uncommon.”

The financial district there is known as the City of London, which Reuters notes “is home to the world’s largest commercial insurance market, banks and fund managers, has been largely deserted since March after most employees were asked to work from home.”

The secret indoor cannabis farm was located in a building near the Bank of England, whose governor, Andrew Bailey, made a crack about the development during an event online Wednesday.

“We are now going to be the subject of endless jokes about ‘now we know what the Bank of England has been on,’” he said, as quoted by Reuters. “I’m sure there will be many other jokes. It is very quiet around the Bank of England, I should say.”

The news evokes another notable bust to take place in London back in 2019, when police there uncovered a huge cannabis farm located in the bowels of a 120-year-old Victorian theater.

The theater farm had apparently been in operation for about a decade, during which time police estimate that the growers raked in about £4 million—$5.1 million for Americans—a year.

The theater was originally constructed at the end of the 19th century, but had been converted into a shopping mall a half-century ago. The grow house was inaccessible from the shops above.

 

[Kellya86]

Stuff is happening in uk again...
Theres an anonymous music producer that goes by the name of outlaw in manchester..
He has been giving away free weed to people that need it..
But more importantly he and his legal team with a fuckton of money, are taking the uk government to court over the "cannabis is deadly and harmfull" statement they keep using to deny us legalisation..
Yet they have never provided a source of this study... this is unlawful..
Uk government have received to documents and have 12 days to reply before they are taken to court...
Outlaw seems to think full decriminalisation will happen by june 11th...