What do you want to know

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that cannabidiol oil (CBD) – a concentrated oily extract made from cannabis – can help treat a variety of diseases. It is said that it helps with everything from epileptic seizures to opioid addiction, from PTSD to arthritis.

But despite the high status of CBD oil, there is still a lot of confusion about what it is actually and what it is made of. Some types of CBD oil are already legally available in the UK – such as those made from hemp – while other types are very illegal in the UK – but are available at the same time. purchase in other countries

as a dietary supplement to promote well-being – similar to other medicinal plants like echinacea – and boost the immune system. Although CBD hemp oil is legal, it is not a drug and should not be confused with the recent confiscation of Billy Caldwell's CBD oil, 12 years old, to Heathrow Airport.

Billy had traveled with his mother to Canada to buy CBD oil – which helps keep his daily epileptic seizures at bay. But his oil was confiscated because it was made from flowers and cannabis leaves, and was therefore classified as illegal in the UK, highlighting infantile epilepsy and l? CBD oil.

The cannabis law explained

up to here, so confusing, but part of the problem is that terms like cannabis and hemp are often used interchangeably – which masks the nuances and complexities of the cannabis plant.

Cannabis sativa L, the scientific name for the cannabis plant, is grown to produce two distinct products – industrial hemp and cannabis. The main difference between hemp and cannabis is based on two criteria. First, the levels of cannabinoids – a family of chemical compounds, the cannabis plant produces naturally – and second, the end use.

Under current British drug laws, cannabis is classified as an illegal drug because of the psychoactive properties of THC, the component that creates the "high". And according to British law, cannabis is considered to have a high potential for abuse – without accepted medical properties.

Hemp vs. Cannabis

But that's where it gets even more confusing because cannabis can be bred to create different strains. Cannabis consumed for recreational purposes is selectively selected to optimize high levels of THC – to maximize the sensation of "high". But cannabis also contains CBD, which is a non-psychoactive component.

Hemp, on the other hand, is used as seed, oil and fiber to produce a wide range of products. It is grown to produce a low concentration of psychoactive cannabinoid THC – as well as higher levels of non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD.

Cannabis is classified as hemp if it has a maximum THC level of 0.2 %. Billy's CBD oil, confiscated from Heathrow, was made from cannabis with a rate greater than 0.2% THC – so it was classified as cannabis, which is why it was confiscated.

Medical Marijuana

A recent survey conducted by Sky News revealed that 82% of the subjects in their survey were of the opinion that medical cannabis should be legalized. Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, who has been appointed to investigate current scientific and medical evidence, on the therapeutic properties of cannabis-based products, also believes it. She recently said that "doctors should be able to prescribe" cannabis.

Davies recommended the elimination of cannabis from the Schedule 1 classification – which covers a group of drugs considered to have no medical purpose, which can not be legally possessed or prescribed

] In the case of Billy Caldwell, Secretary of the Interior, Sajid Javid, made the decision to grant Billy access to imported CBD oil. This new approach to reconsider the classification of cannabis has been decisive and reflects a broader feeling in other countries. In the United States, for example, medical cannabis programs have been launched in 30 states. Therefore, medical tourism in Canada – where cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes – and the United States to access CBD oil.

In the UK, however, Sajid Javid will not reclassify cannabis until the Drug Abuse Advisory Council makes recommendations on public health implications – which will include the potential for drug abuse. CBD abuse based on cannabis. Although it seems very likely that the home secretary will continue to move towards a patient-focused resolution.

For patients like Billy, this means that cannabis-based CBD oil may soon be prescribed in the UK under controlled conditions, by licensed doctors, and for medical reasons.