Starting 1 November 2018, specialist hospital physicians in Northern Ireland will be able to prescribe to cannabis-based products for medicinal use to their patients. With this decision, the licences issued by the Department of Health (DoH) for prescribing, supply and possession of medical cannabis will no longer be necessary.
The prescribing of medical cannabis products is currently being restricted to clinicians listed on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council, and not General Practitioners. It is vital that specialists take the decision to prescribe cannabis products after considering evidence on quality, safety and effectiveness.
To ensure safe and effective use of cannabis and prevent possible misuse, additional frameworks and clinical guidelines were developed by the DoH in collaboration with the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also stepped in to issue additional advice to clinicians. Furthermore, a long-term review of cannabis use for medicinal purposes will be performed by the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs.
It should be noted that this rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use does not imply any chances of legalisation cannabis for recreational use. Unauthorised supply and possession of cannabis still remains an offence and draws penalties.