The UK has long been quite traditional when it comes to lawmaking. It can take quite a long time for progressive measures to be taken, even when other places have embraced modern changes to their way of life. Of course, this isn’t always a bad thing, but it has made progress towards the legalisation of cannabis quite slow. But what exactly is the current state of this scene in the UK, and is it likely that this substance will be available to the masses any time soon?
Current Cannabis Law
Cannabis law in the UK hasn’t really changed much over the last couple of decades. The drug is still classified as a Class B substance, prohibiting recreational use entirely. Cannabis was approved for medical use in 2018, though there are strict regulations on the type of conditions and options people have with this. As public opinion surrounding cannabis changes, many police forces around the country are vowing not to chase those who are in possession of it for personal use.
A Major Supplier
While it may seem strange, the UK is actually one of the world’s largest suppliers of legally grown cannabis. This is used for lab testing, producing hemp fibers, and even to make specialist animal feed. None of this cannabis is supposed to be consumed by humans for recreational use, though. This means that it isn’t of the same quality that is found in dispensaries in other countries, often frustrating scientists that they don’t have the right resources to work with.
Medicinal Cannabis
As mentioned above, cannabis has been legal for medical use since 2018 in the UK. This doesn’t mean that there are many options for those who want treatments like this, though. In fact, there are only two conditions that can currently be treated with medical cannabis; childhood epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Those who want to get these treatments will need to be referred to a specialist GP.
Other Cannabis Products
There are a lot of cannabis products on the market that don’t contain any of the psychoactive elements of the substance. CBD is a great example of this, with oils, vape juices, and even foods containing the stuff. While you can’t really get CBD oil on the NHS, there are loads of affordable options available if this is something you’d like to try. Of course, as time goes on, more and more options are likely to hit the market for those who want to use cannabis for medical purposes, and this may even broaden into the recreational field.
It’s easy to see that the UK Parliament is relatively divided when it comes to cannabis laws. This makes it likely that more change will be seen in the future, especially as more and more countries explore the option of total legalization. Of course, though, that day is not today, and that means that you will have to stick to things like CBD to get a legal fix.
