They argued patients should be allowed to take the drug if it helped reduce their pain or controlled symptoms of conditions like epilepsy.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing voted overwhelmingly in favour of lobbying the Government to change the law around the drug.

Nurses argued that painkillers such as morphine and fentanyl were both legal despite being from the same family as heroin, so cannabis should be treated no differently.

Legalising the drug would protect patients from disreputable dealers and prevent them being treated as criminals, they added.

Tracey Risebrow, a nurse from Suffolk, said: “Surely it is better to have patients using cannabis being monitored by health professionals able to pick up on any adverse effects quickly.

“It is inhumane to have people suffering when there is something that can help… We are making criminals out of people who only want to do what is best for their loved ones.”

Speaking at the union’s annual congress in Belfast, nurse Fallon Scaife said she had lost “the man I loved” to cannabis use but had since moved to a cancer ward and seen the benefits the drug had for patients.

Geoff Earle, from Edinburgh, added: “Our patients are often forced to use irresponsible dealers and risk prison sentences.”

Nurse Catherine Gault said she suffered from a chronic condition which may require treatment with cannabis in future, adding: “There is strong enough evidence to support the use of cannabis to treat pain. It would not be a recreational drug for me, it would add quality to my life.”

After the debate, RCN chief executive Janet Davies said nurses found it “frustrating” they were not allowed to give patients a drug which could help them.

She said the move would protect vulnerable patients who were currently self-medicating with cannabis from illegal sources.

“It’s about protecting people who are actually breaking the law, but they are also putting themselves at risk because they don’t know the content of what they’re taking, they don’t know where the original source is from, they don’t know if people are putting something else in it,” she added.

Nurses voted in favour of the “complete decriminalisation” of the drug in all its forms, including “cannabis and cannabis resin”.

But the union’s chief said medical professionals would not advocate smoking the drug and making it available as a medicine would lead to fewer people smoking it.

As a Class B drug, cannabis cannot be prescribed, administered or supplied to the public.

Although the cannabis-based drug Sativex has been approved for MS sufferers, it is only available from specialist doctors in special circumstances and is not widely prescribed.

Over 40 countries, including Italy, Finland, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and half of the United States have decriminalised cannabis in some form.

Last month, the Royal College of Physicians – which represents 26,000 doctors in the UK – also called for the drug to be decriminalised, claiming the threat of jail meant addicts were put off seeking help.

Responding to the RCN news, Peter Carroll, of campaign group End Our Pain, said: “We welcome this bold and decisive move from the RCN. People who find relief from their symptoms by using medical cannabis should be treated as patients, not criminals.”

And Peter Reynolds, of cannabis law reform campaign group Clear, said: “This is recognition by the people we all turn to in our most difficult times that cannabis is an extremely valuable medicine which science now proves to be both efficacious and safe.”

But the Royal College of Psychiatrists urged caution. A spokesman said: “The legal status of cannabis and other drugs is a matter for government rather than doctors to decide. Cannabis carries significant mental health risks for some, including psychosis, depression and anxiety. We support medical use of NICE approved, cannabis products, following properly conducted independent research… Legalisation for recreational and medicinal use should be considered as distinct.”

Nurses also called for a a referendum on the final Brexit deal. The RCN passed a vote in favour of the move by 364 votes to 163 but is expected to consult more widely with members before campaigning.

The trade union was neutral in 2016 but is now the first to demand a second referendum on Brexit.

Chief executive Janet Davies said: “We can’t manage without our European nurses but they are already leaving. Even though we’re desperately trying to recruit, people aren’t coming from Europe in the number they used to.”

But the “father of cannabis research” isn’t done trying to uncover the secrets of marijuana.

In 1964, Mechoulam discovered THC, the cannabinoid most famous for its intoxicating effect. The find in turn led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS likely plays a role in regulating immune function, but it also influences memory, mood, hormone regulation and more.

Then, in 1980, Mechoulam showed that CBD, a cannabinoid swept up in the latest wellness trend, could treat seizures in epileptic patients. More than 30 years later, U.K.-based GW Pharmaceuticals took notice and developed Epidiolex, the first plant-based cannabis prescription drug, which was approved for sale in the U.S. in 2018.

Now, Mechoulam says he’s found a way to stabilize other cannabis compounds: cannabinoid acids, the molecules that come as precursors to cannabinoids in marijuana plants. These compounds may have even more therapeutic potential, due in part to their potency. CBDA, for example, is reportedly 1,000 times more potent than CBD when it comes to reducing nausea. It may be more therapeutic for other conditions as well.

Mechoulam has partnered with the U.S.-based pharmaceutical IP company EPM to supply cannabinoid acid molecules for the development of new treatments. Trials in humans to treat psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease are scheduled to begin next year. Discover recently interviewed Mechoulam about developing cannabinoid acids, treating addiction with cannabis derivatives, and what it’s like to devote your life to researching an often-stigmatized plant. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Discover Magazine: What exactly are cannabinoid acids, and how might they be useful to us?

Raphael Mechoulam: The acids are the precursors of THC and CBD. The plant doesn’t directly make THC and CBD, it makes the acids. They are precursors and these compounds, unfortunately, are not stable and therefore there has not been a lot of interest in them. We were glad to find out that it is a very potent compound, probably more active than CBD. It is a very good anti-anxiety agent, and we have found out that it lowers the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. It also has an anti-depressive effect and it’s a pretty potent anti-pain compound.

You’ve mentioned several of your discoveries largely went unnoticed when they were first published. Do you worry that could happen again with these acid-based cannabinoids?

When we started work [in the early ’60s], there was essentially no interest. It’s kind of ridiculous. I asked for a grant from [National Institutes of Health] and they told me, ‘It’s not relevant. Nobody smokes marijuana in the U.S., people do it in Mexico.’ A year or two later, for some peculiar reason, a lot of people started smoking marijuana and then NIH, all of a sudden, became interested and they supported my work for almost 45 years. In the early ’80s, we published a paper showing that cannabidiol [CBD] is a very good antiepileptic, and I thought it would be developed [as a drug], particularly since it shows no side effects. Nothing happened for 35 years, and then some parents, not companies, discovered cannabidiol helps their children with pediatric epilepsy. So, there was some pressure in the U.S., and social pressure in the U.S. works. The FDA approved a clinical trial, and the clinical trial said yes, it’s an excellent drug in certain types of epilepsy. And so [Epidiolex] has been approved. Now, the approval could have been made 35 years ago, and we could have helped thousands of children. So I hope that we won’t have to wait 30 or 40 years for the other discoveries.

You’ve also pursued research into the cannabinoid-like compound anandamide, which might have therapeutic potential as well. What makes you excited about it?

We are very much involved in addictions. This is, frankly, a new field, because until recently addiction was thought to be a kind of a psychological thing. We and many others have found that it’s not psychological, it’s an actual disease with compounds and reactions in the body.

If a mouse is addicted to nicotine, for example, the body makes a particular anandamide-like compound which can work against addiction. It can prevent the addiction, or it can lower, very considerably, withdrawal effects. This particular compound lowers, or almost prevents, both nicotine and heroin withdrawal symptoms.

So, here we have something quite practical, I hope. In the U.S. last year, 65,000 people died because of addiction — they overdose themselves. In many cases, these are people who are willing to get rid of their addiction, but they couldn’t. In many cases, this was due to the very strong withdrawal effects. And if there is a drug which essentially eliminates the withdrawal effects of opiates or nicotine, then I hope that it will be of wide use.

But, you see, there is a really major need of clinical trials. Anandamide has never been given to a human as a drug. Almost 100 years ago, when insulin was discovered, it was administered within six months; it became a drug within a year or two. Here we have anandamide, a nontoxic compound which has never been administered, and so it has been sitting around for the last 25 years and nobody has been able to get the OK to give it to humans.

Some of your work has focused on the immune system. What’s the connection between the endocannabinoid system and disease?

From my point of view, our body tries to fight every single disease in most cases with the immune system. It’s a very important system, but the immune system as we know it today doesn’t address some of the diseases. So, the body has other ways to try to fight these diseases, and I believe that the endocannabinoid system is one of the major systems through which the body tries to fight disease. So, maybe in a decade or so, we should be speaking of not only the immune system but the endocannabinoid [system]. It may be an additional way the body attacks disease states.

As demand for CBD continues to skyrocket, the CBD industry has developed into a unique market that is independent, yet still closely related to the Cannabis industry, including its controversial reputation and shifting legalities. Due to the confusion and complications that this can present for CBD users, it has become increasingly important to understand the difference between hemp and marijuana and how they relate to Cannabis.

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family, which consists of three primary species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.

While hemp and marijuana are regularly referred to as “species” or “strains” of Cannabis, they actually do not qualify as either one. In fact, they couldn’t technically be considered as plants at all…

Hemp and marijuana are simply broad classifications of Cannabis that were adopted into our culture; however, they are not legitimate nomenclature for the Cannabis plant.

To clarify the difference between Hemp and Marijuana and clear the smoke on this frequently misinformed subject, let’s explore what each of these terms actually means and how they relate to Cannabis.

What is Hemp?

“Hemp” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain 0.3% or less THC content (by dry weight).

While the legal definition described above had not been legitimized until the Agricultural Act of 2018 had passed, “hemp” has generally been used to describe non-intoxicating Cannabis that is harvested for the industrial use of its derived products.

With evidence of its use recorded throughout history, including the discovery of material made from hemp over 10,000 years ago, many believe that hemp was the first crop ever cultivated by mankind.

With the capabilities to produce crucial resources such as food, rope, clothing, paper, housing material, and more, hemp has been the catalyst for man’s earliest innovations.

What is Marijuana?

“Marijuana” is a term used to classify varieties of Cannabis that contain more than 0.3% THC (by dry weight) and can induce psychotropic or euphoric effects on the user.

While the use of this term is widespread throughout American culture, it presents a grossly inadequate misrepresentation of Cannabis. Most informed individuals and organizations in the Cannabis industry refuse to use the term and some consider it to be “racist.”

In early American history, the term “marijuana” was non-existent and “cannabis” was the primary term used to classify the plant.

Between 1910 and 1920, nearly a million Mexicans migrated into the United States seeking refuge from the Mexican Revolution.

During this time, anti-Mexican sentiment had begun to steep and the term “marijuana” arose as a negative correlation of its use by Mexican immigrants.

Soon after, rumors began to surface, warning Americans of the dangerous and homicidal tendencies caused by using “Mexican cannabis” or “locoweed,” which lead to an even greater rise in anti-Mexican sentiment.

As the negative perception of cannabis intensified, the government began regulating cannabis more aggressively.

By 1927, 11 states had passed anti-marijuana laws and by the 1930s anti-marijuana propaganda and the fear of “Reefer Madness” was in full swing.

Today, 30 countries around the world allow farmers to grow industrial hemp, China being the largest producer and exporter. Canada, which produces hemp for food and toiletries, legalized the crop in 1996. The US, on the other hand, has restricted hemp production and categorized hemp in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, attributing it as a relative of marijuana.

As of March 2016, more than half of the 50 states have laws that allow for some hemp production, . Yet, many states, such as California, where Jungmaven is based, will only allow for industrial hemp cultivation when federal law coincides with state law. That is, when Congress passes a bill permitting industrial hemp across the US. Currently, Jungmann imports his hemp from China, but he’s confident Congress will pass the bill legalizing industrial farming of hemp in July.

The Agricultural Act of 2014, or more commonly known as the Farm Bill, did open a few doors: namely, allowing states to experiment with hemp for research purposes. Plus it defined industrial hemp as having less than 0.3% of THC, compared to marijuana, which has 10-30%.

Still, hemp is different from other crops such as cotton, wheat, and soy because farmers are required to get approval from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) before they sow the seeds. No other agricultural product has that stipulation to overcome.

After years of stating Chemotherapy is the only tool they have, as the tide of social media evidence grows, so much progress has suddenly been made proving that cannabis now works. But now big pharma holds the patent for cannabis cancer treatment

British company, GW Pharmaceuticals, has been a big name in cannabis pharmaceuticals since 1998.

They’ve broken through the iron gates surrounding cannabis medicine, so much so that they even got CBD-extract medications (made by Big Pharma) to be removed from Schedule I.

GW Pharma has developed cannabis-based drugs for multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, and now cancer. That’s right. Big Pharma now holds the patent for cancer treatment using cannabis.

Only now they are able to profit, do they admit to it working. Have in made that all products are synthesized chemically in order to patent this product. They are not using the full spectrum of the plant and its a lower dose to what has been working.

Here at Healing oracle we have been shouting from the roof tops about the benefits of this product and how best to apply. We have been called drug pushers and quacks, we have been terrorized for sharing information regarding full spectrum cannabis oil.

Big Pharma does not mention the best ways to apply this oil rectally and leaves so much information out of their data.

In 2009, GW went forward with a patent application, alongside collaborator Otsuka Pharmaceutical. 

At the end of September, GW  announced that they had received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent Office to go forward with production of their cannabis-based cancer treatment, Sativex, which is a chemically enhanced spray with little of the compounding ingredient required for healing.

The Treatment

Numerous studies have shown that cannabis can be used to treat cancer by eradicating cancer cells and stopping metastasis, in most types of cancer. The latest GW drug will harness the power of THC and CBD to treat gliomas, which are a rare form of brain cancer.

The now-patented pharmaceutical uses a ratio of THC and CBD ranging from 1:1 to 1:20 (THC:CBD) to “reduce cell viability, inhibit cell growth or reduce tumor volume”, according to the company.

It is interesting to note that GW’s treatment, Sativex, grew out of a long history of pre-clinical trials and anecdotal evidence that show the use of cannabis and cannabis-based products for tumor reduction.

The company went ahead with clinical trials in August 2018 to test the efficacy of Sativex. This trial will look at efficacy of Sativex when combined with more traditional mainstream cancer treatments.

Sativex and the chemotherapy drug, temozolomide, has been administered to 20 patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This is a rare and very deadly type of brain cancer.

The Patent

The original patent application was sent in 2009, but has been subsequently changed to accommodate FDA requirements.

Changes would include specifics like THC and CBD ratios in the medication, as well as the forms of cancer that Sativex may be able to treat.

What Does This Mean for Cancer Research?

On the positive side, the patent finally recognises the value of cannabis for cancer treatments, not just as a way to counteract the effects of chemotherapy and radiation, but as an effective treatment itself.

Cannabis’s efficacy for killing cancer cells must now be recognised on a federal level. It also allows for more options for cancer patients in choosing their treatments.

It’s a potentially exciting time for cannabis research! Look out for more patents, more clinical trials, and even more cannabis-based medications hitting the market. Keep pushing for access to whole plant medicine.

Source: https://www.rxleaf.com

CBD is all the rage. This cannabinoid appears almost everywhere now – in health food shops and online. It was once a niche food supplement, but now pretty much everyone has at least heard of CBD.

As the CBD industry continues to grow, there are more and more products to choose from. Some of these products claim to contain a vast array of different cannabinoids; these are called full-spectrum products. In case you didn’t know, cannabinoids are the active compounds found in cannabis.

The most well-known cannabinoids are CBD and THC, but it doesn’t stop there. Some estimates put the number of cannabinoids over one hundred! Little is known about many of these compounds, partly because they are made in such small amounts. Others are starting to find their way into the spotlight.

CBD companies have been advertising their use of CBG (cannabigerol) lately. So, what is this cannabinoid and what does it do? Is it better than CBD? That’s what we’re investigating today.

Phytocannabinoids and How They Work

Cannabinoids are active compounds from the cannabis plant, found in both hemp and marijuana. Some experts believe that cannabinoids exist to help the plant to survive, for example, to protect the plant from harmful UV.

THC has one of the most obvious roles. When a herbivorous animal comes along and munches on a wild cannabis plant, the THC will cause a disorientating and dizzying high. Suffering from nausea and vertigo, the animal will know never to eat cannabis again!

But why exactly does this happen? How does the THC create these effects?

All mammals are equipped with an endocannabinoid system (ECS), a network of receptors found throughout the body. These cannabinoid receptors are found pretty much everywhere. In the body, they work with signalling compounds called endocannabinoids, which are created whenever we need them. The endocannabinoids bind to specific cannabinoid receptors, triggering various effects depending on the particular reaction.

Endocannabinoids, which the body creates, are contrasted from phytocannabinoids, which plants create. Although the ECS is designed to work with endocannabinoids such as anandamide, phytocannabinoids can also bind to cannabinoid receptors.

In the case of THC, it binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and central nervous system and overstimulates them. This process is what triggers the ‘high.’ While animals may hate it, it appears that humans have learnt to love the intoxicating effects of THC!

Other phytocannabinoids can also work with the ECS in unique ways. Not all reactions are unpleasant or intoxicating. Two of these cannabinoids are CBD and CBG, which we will discuss in more detail below.

Cannabidiol: What You Need to Know

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the two main cannabinoids, alongside THC. However, it is quite different from its intoxicating counterpart. Although the two cannabinoids have a very similar molecular structure, CBD is non-intoxicating and works in a completely different way.

When you take CBD, it stimulates the body to make more endocannabinoids. These endocannabinoids then bind with their corresponding cannabinoid receptors to cause effects throughout the body. The ECS is thought to be vital in maintaining general health and wellbeing by keeping the body in a state of homeostasis. It keeps the body in balance. For this reason, CBD is considered to be a healthy daily supplement.

Through the numerous interactions it can cause in the ECS, CBD might be able to support general health. Many people are now taking a small dose of cannabidiol each day in order to achieve such effects. There are also studies in progress that suggest that CBD could have some more specific therapeutic benefits. For now, we are awaiting scientific confirmation.

Nevertheless, authorities like the World Health Organisation (WHO) have declared CBD safe, well-tolerated, and non-addictive. In other words, all kinds of people can take CBD without having to worry about side effects. Although a small number of users may feel dizzy or tired after taking CBD, none of the side effects are serious.

The combination of potential health benefits and few side effects has propelled CBD to fame. You will find CBD products in several locations now, including pharmacies and high street chains. You can also order it online.

While most users tend to use an oral CBD tincture or capsule, some methods of taking it verge on the weird and wonderful. You can get CBD vapes, bath bombs, gummy bears, massage oils, teas, lattes, and even beer. The possibilities are endless!

CBD’s popularity makes it seem as though nothing can stop it. So where does CBG come into all this?

Cannabigerol: The Basics

Cannabigerol, or CBG, is an incredibly important cannabinoid. In the cannabis plant, all cannabinoids start out as acidic compounds. In the case of CBG, this acid is called cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA.

CBGA is the precursor to all other cannabinoids. It is the first cannabinoid that the plant produces, and it later evolves into all the other acids, such as CBDA and THCA. When the plant is harvested and heat is applied, these acids all develop into their respective cannabinoids – CBGA becomes CBG.

At the moment, scientists don’t know all that much about what CBG can do. There is a reasonably small body of research when compared to other phytocannabinoids like THC and CBD.

What we do know is that CBG, like CBD, isn’t psychotropic. It won’t cause a high. Without intoxicating effects, perhaps users could utilise CBG alongside their CBD supplements. But what can it actually do?

What You Can Do with CBG

Right now, very little is known about CBD. A few scientific studies have been done, but these were largely animal studies and there is not enough evidence to definitively say what CBG is capable of.

Up to now, here is what we know:

• Appetite Increase: In 2016 and 2017, two studies were carried out at the University of Reading. Both found that CBG increased appetite in rats. The researchers also noted that CBG was well-tolerated and did not cause adverse reactions.
• Glaucoma: In many American states where medicinal cannabis is legal, glaucoma appears on the list of qualifying conditions. A 1990 study, conducted in West Virginia, investigated using both THC and CBG to reduce intraocular eye pressure. Both were found to have a positive effect.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS): An Italian university carried out a study in 2013 which found that CBG had positive effects on IBS in rats. This is likely similar to the way in which CBD may reduce inflammation.
• Neurodegenerative Diseases: It’s difficult to say what role cannabinoids could play in fighting neurodegenerative diseases, but there are some claims out there. In 2015, a Spanish university released findings which showed CBG acted as a neuroprotectant against Huntington’s disease in mice.
• Anti-Tumoural: Numerous studies have been conducted on animals with cancerous tumours which have involved CBG. In 2006, Italian researchers showed that it benefited mice with human breast cancers. Again in 2014, a huge interdepartmental study found that CBG helped mice with colon cancer.

The above studies seem to be great news. However, you have to take everything you read with a pinch of salt. It’s hard to say whether this has any positive effects for humans, as all studies thus far have been conducted on animal models. Hopefully, time will reveal more information to us about CBG and its capabilities.

Final Thoughts: CBG vs. CBD

It appears that both CBD and CBG could have some benefits for humans. CBD is currently more widely accepted and reported on, but it is probably not the only cannabinoid we should be looking into.

CBG could have a few different uses in the medical industry. Right now, we need to await more scientific studies before anything changes.

If you want to take CBG, it’s likely that there is a small amount in full-spectrum products. However, since CBG is only made in such small quantities in cannabis, there will only be a little. As manufacturers catch onto the idea that users want to try cannabigerol, they might find ways to increase its usage.

The cannabidiol industry is a legal minefield as it is, without even having to consider the status of the plant it comes from. Everybody knows that cannabis is illegal in Great Britain, but most people don’t understand the distinction between hemp and marijuana.

Hemp and marijuana both belong to the Cannabis genus of plants, but they do differ slightly. Unfortunately, the genus as a whole is classified as a controlled substance in this country, and this is where the complications come in. Marijuana is awarded a more tightly controlled status than its hemp counterpart – but why?

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about hemp and whether it is legal in the UK. That way, you can feel a little bit better about purchasing CBD products that state they are made from hemp?

What Actually is Hemp?

Hemp is a member of the Cannabis sativa family, meaning it belongs to the same genus of plants as marijuana! There is a lot of confusion about the differences between the two, which is why both types of plant were made controlled substances back in the 1970s. While marijuana is known for its ability to get people high, hemp does not actually possess this trait.

By definition, hemp contains less than 0.3% THC per dry weight. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active compound in cannabis plants that produces psychoactive effects. It isn’t the only active compound in there, as there are estimated to be over 100 cannabinoids! THC is one of the most abundant, alongside CBD. Cannabidiol (CBD) is becoming much more accepted, as it is now recognised that it produces no intoxicating effects whatsoever. Unlike THC, it is still abundant in hemp plants. This is great news, as hemp is not only non-intoxicating, but it is thought to have some wonderful benefits.

There are some other key differences between hemp and marijuana. Hemp, first off, looks different. It has thinner leaves concentrated at the top of the plant, and overall the plant is skinnier and taller than its counterpart. Hemp can actually grow up to 20 feet tall! Furthermore, hemp can be grown very close together thanks to its narrowness, whereas marijuana plants need to be cultivated further apart. Marijuana growers have to carefully control the environment, or the marijuana will die extremely quickly. Hemp, on the other hand, is hardy and can survive pretty much anywhere.

It is a hyper-accumulator, meaning that it sucks up almost anything it can get from the soil. As a result, hemp cultivators need to be careful about where they grow it – if they grow it in contaminated soil, the hemp will absorb all the toxins and won’t be safe to consume! This is good news for farmers of other crops, though, because they can grow hemp plants nearby to ensure that the soil remains clean. In fact, it was proposed to plant hemp plants at Chernobyl after the nuclear disaster in order to clean up the soil!

While hemp is amazing for consumption (which we will discuss more in the next section), it also has many other uses. The fibrous stalks are ideal for creating textiles and even building materials. It can even be used to make paper! Hemp is an extremely versatile plant, which is why it’s quite sad that it is classified as a controlled substance.

The Health Benefits of Hemp

While the leaves and stalks of hemp are more likely to be used in textiles, the seeds are incredibly nutritious. Many people consider hempseeds to be a superfood because they are so packed full of goodness. Although the seeds contain very low amounts of cannabinoids, they are still good for you thanks to the rest of their contents.

Here are some of the health benefits:

• Protein: In every 30g of hemp seeds (around 1 tablespoon), there are 9.46g of protein. They are considered a “complete” protein source, meaning that they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Plant-based proteins are growing in popularity as a healthier and more environmentally-friendly alternative to animal proteins, but few plant proteins contain all 9 amino acids. Hempseeds are, in this way, a superior form of plant protein that makes them an incredible addition to your diet.
• Unsaturated fats: It is generally considered that unsaturated fats are healthier than their saturated counterparts. We need omega fatty acids in our diet in order to survive and remain healthy, and hemp contains both omega-3 and omega-6.
• Fibre: Hempseeds can be quite fibrous if you buy the right ones. ‘Hemp hearts’ refer to deshelled hempseeds, but these won’t contain much fibre as most lies in the outer shell. If you are looking to add more fibre into your diet, purchase hempseeds that still have their hulls.
• Vitamins and minerals: Hempseeds contain a huge array of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and B vitamins.

All of these components do different things for your health, including boosting your heart health, improving your skin, and protecting the brain. You can eat hempseeds, buy hempseed oil, or even purchase hemp milk to get these benefits.

Is Hemp Legal to Grow in the UK?

All the way back in 1533, King Henry VIII made it compulsory by law to grow hemp. For every 60 acres of farmland, cultivators had to grown ¼ acre of flax or hemp, or else they would be in breach of the law. This was because of the incredible nutritional value of hemp, as well as its numerous other uses.

Sadly, hemp became too closely associated with marijuana, and confusion between the two plants has led to illegality. It is now only legal to grow under certain conditions.

To grow hemp in the United Kingdom, you have to obtain a license from the Home Office. A new license costs £580, and a renewal costs £326, so it’s no wonder that few people actually have one! Furthermore, people applying for this license must undergo a Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) to check that they are eligible for a license.

There are also several restrictions that apply. A compliance visit may be necessary, and the Home Office may impose restrictions on where you can plant the crop. For example, hemp is generally not allowed near schools or areas of public access.

Growers who are in possession of a hemp growing license must inform the local police about where the hemp is being grown. Any changes to the growing season or planting location of the crop must be passed on to the Home Office immediately.

Currently, there is no more than 810 hectares of hemp grown in the UK. Organisations like the British Hemp Association are working to change that, recognising just how useful the crop can be. It’s impossible to know whether hemp will be made legal in the UK ever again, but it’s not an impossibility.

So, Where Does CBD Oil Come From?

If you have heard about CBD oil and that it comes from hemp, you might now be wondering where it comes from considering that hemp is not 100% legal to grow. Most CBD manufacturers based in the UK import their hemp from farms in Europe. It is often the case that growers still require a license to cultivate hemp, but manufacturers often weigh up the cost of paying for their own farms here in the UK or importing hemp from abroad.

Regardless of where in the world it comes from, the CBD oil you see being sold in the UK will certainly be derived from hemp and not marijuana. Although the two plants are often muddled up, hemp is generally given more of a pass than marijuana is. Since it contains so little THC, manufacturers have to produce their CBD products from this plant – the legal limit for THC in Great Britain is 0.2%. This can only really be achieved by producing the products from hemp.

Final Thoughts on Hemp in the UK

To answer the titular question: Hemp is sort of legal in the UK. Growers can only cultivate the crop with a license, but as long as the requirements are met then it is legal to do so.

Hemp has endured a long history in Britain and the world over, and it appears to be making somewhat of a comeback. With any luck, in the future more and more hemp will be produced in the UK, possibly making it cheaper to produce homegrown CBD products. The popularity of such products is sharply rising, and so it’s not too optimistic to think that hemp might finally become more accepted by the government and undergo a change of status.

Science: Cannabinoids effective in animal model of hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome, affecting human infants and adolescents. The syndrome is characterised by impaired attention and by impulsive-hyperactive behaviour. Italian researchers studied ADHD in an animal model, using the spontaneously hypertensive-rat (SHR) strain, which is regarded as an animal model for ADHD.

The SHR rats were compared to normal rats. In tests it appeared that there is a subgroup within the SHR rats which reacted very impulsive. Researchers found that animals of this impulsive SHR subgroup presented a reduced density of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The administration of a synthetic cannabinoid that – like THC – binds to the CB1 receptor normalized the impulsive behavioural profile in this subgroup of SHR rats, but had no effect on normal rats.

Until now there is no clinical research with cannabis or single cannabinoids in ADHD but several patients report positive effects. Additionally, a clinical study on THC in Tourette’s syndrome demonstrated an improvement of obsessive compulsive behaviour.

(Source: Adriani W, et al. The spontaneously hypertensive-rat as an animal model of ADHD: evidence for impulsive and non-impulsive subpopulations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2003;27(7):639-51)

When medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in November 2018, British patients desperate for legal access thought their long wait was finally over.

However, patients like James Walker, who suffers severe epilepsy, are still waiting for prescriptions for the medication on the NHS.

Now, Gina, 45, James’ mother, is speaking out about the delay, criticising doctors for “playing God” with her son’s life.

James was diagnosed with a rare form of drug-resistant epilepsy when he was just two-months old. Due to the severity of his condition, doctors told his family that they did not expect him to live past the age of 10. Defying all the odds, James has just celebrated his 21st Birthday.

Due to the severity of the seizures James has endured, he is not able to verbally communicate. James has only been able to communicate from the age of 16 with the assistance of ‘eye gaze technology,’ which allows him the ability to talk via a computer system.

According to Gina, every seizure James endures is “like running a marathon,” but displaying true courage, James has kept his smile going strong, maintaining his “cheeky sense” of humour.

Using Hull Liveto share James’ incredible story of bravery and survival, Gina explained how traditional, pharmaceutical, medications did little to help relieve the brave boy’s suffering:

“James has tried every drug going to try and manage his epilepsy, but he’s had so many bad side effects with them.

“He had to start wearing glasses as one of the drugs affected his eyesight, and he’s had anaphylactic shock as well as stomach cramps and diarrhoea with others, and none have really brought his condition under control.

“The only thing that has brought James down from having 100 tonic-clonic seizures a day to around 20 is thanks to his VNS operations.

“The device works like a pacemaker and floods his brain with good electricity when he’s having a fit, but he wears them out fast and has already had three implants in five years, when they’re meant to last much longer.”

“I’m so angry as so many people like James need the cannabis oil but aren’t getting it – it’s unfair for doctors to be able to play God and decide who gets a potentially life saving prescription for it and who doesn’t.”
– Gail Walker, Medical Cannabis Warrior & Dedicated Mother

After years of suffering, James’ doctors finally realised that his condition was more extreme, upgrading the severity of his condition:

“He was only actually diagnosed at 15 with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome and up until then, he used to glaze over in his eyes and not engage as even though he’s not brain damaged, he couldn’t engage with us as his mind was there but it was trapped in his body.”

Parents of children with James’ condition experience the same pain:

“I spent the first ten years of James’ life planning his funeral, just seeing his life as being on an egg timer.

“I just existed rather than lived which, looking back, made me so angry and upset as it felt like we were just looking out for which seizure would kill him, rather than enjoying life with him.

“So based on the prognosis he was given, we are so happy that he’s got to his 21st birthday.

“People think we must get used to James having seizures but you never do, and they can be terrifying.

“When I get up on a morning, I put the fact that he could have a serious fit that kills him in the back of my mind, but now and again I can still get overwhelmed and teary, mainly out of frustration.

“But then I see James smiling even after his seizures and think it’s him going through it, not me, and if he can be brave, then so can I.”

However, there is a medication which has the potential to help alleviate some of the suffering the Walker family has been living through for the past 21 years: medical cannabis, specifically CBD:

“When I saw that medicinal cannabis oil could be prescribed for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, I was desperate for James to try it to see if it would help him at all, as one fit could kill him if it pushes his heart too much.”

Unfortunately for James, an apparent medical postcode operates in in the UK, where patients in certain areas are being prescribed medical cannabis on the NHS, while others are left without:   

“We were told that he was top of list in Hull for CBD oil in adults, but now we are getting mixed messages at to whether he can get it.

“I feel like James has just been overlooked because he’s older and that doctors are reluctant to prescribe it because it’s new, but it’s so frustrating as I just want James to try anything that could help him.

“It’s not like it’s wacky baccy that he will be taking, and there are even NICE guidelines to be followed, so I don’t know why some patients are having it prescribed in some areas of the country but not others.

“I’m so angry as so many people like James need the cannabis oil but aren’t getting it – it’s unfair for doctors to be able to play God and decide who gets a potentially life saving prescription for it and who doesn’t.”

Patients like James should not have to beg for access to a medication which has been proven to be safe and effective. Medical cannabis should be offered to all who stand to benefit, especially when all other pharmaceutical medications have failed to help.

This delicious Chocolate Cannabis Ice Cream recipe uses infused cannabis oil, which is made with various carrier oils such as coconut oil, raw cacao butter, hemp seed oil and olive oil. Any of these carriers will do for this recipe, as only a small amount is needed, but raw cacao and/or coconut oil goes best with the chocolate flavor. I personally use a mixture of both coconut oil and raw cacao butter, as it tastes good and I already make this mixture for topical use and for suppositories/pessaries

If you have never taken cannabis oil before, it is sensible to use half the amount of infused cannabis oil in this recipe (i.e. 1.5g), then eat a little to test the effects.

Wait two hours and if it is not strong enough for you, add another gram and test the effects again. It is important to test the strength properly before you take the mixture out of the blender/smoothie maker.

If you want this ice cream to be more fattening and creamy, you can add half an avocado, whilst increasing the date syrup and raw cacao powder slightly to disguise the taste of the avocado.

Equipment

• Blender / Nutribullet
• Large Bowl
• Measuring Jug

Ingredients

• 200g cashew nuts
• 250ml cold water
• 4 heaped tbsp raw cacao powder
• 6-7 tbsp date syrup (or agave syrup or local honey if not vegan) depending on how sweet you like your chocolate ice cream;
• 3g infused cannabis oil
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
  – I also like to put the mixture in a Nutribullet, which makes it more aerated. I find this gives it a lighter, smoother texture which makes a delightful chocolate mousse if you don’t have a freezer, or if you prefer mousse to ice cream.
• Put in the freezer until frozen and then serve with fresh fruit. The hardest thing about this recipe is not eating it all at once.
• Enjoy!