Man fit the criteria for a 'cannabis card' after a quick Google

A man with chronic pain who receives medical cannabis in the post says the treatment has given him his life back.

Simon Lawson is among the many patients who receive products from a legal medical cannabis clinic.

The 70-year-old, who used to live in West Didsbury but now lives in London, says “wear and tear” left him suffering from lower back ache, neck pain, a trapped nerve and severe pins and needles.

READ MORE: 'The neck problem that turned out to be something beyond my worst nightmares'

His health struggles meant he was getting through a box of 30 painkillers a month just to manage daily life.

But all that changed when he discovered Releaf, a medical cannabis clinic that launched in February 2024.

It's estimated there are up to 40 private clinics prescribing medical cannabis in the UK at the moment – and Releaf says they currently have around 2,500 patients on their books.

Medical use of cannabis, when prescribed by a registered specialist doctor – usually private – was legalised in November 2018, and includes products containing the psychoactive cannabinoid THC, like the oil Simon uses.

But even though private doctors are prescribing cannabis products - and even delivering high-THC 'bud' and vaporisers to patients' doors - these products remain illegal for recreational use, and illegal for medical use too, if they haven't been prescribed.

Successful patients get cannabis couriered straight to their door - with those who use flower, or 'bud', being provided with a dry herb vaporiser which allows the user to heat and inhale the vapour rather than have to smoke it.

Releaf patients are also given a ‘cannabis card’ which they can show to police or other authorities if needed.

The change in the law came after a series of high-profile cases in which parents of children with epilepsy learned, following research, that cannabis products could alleviate their symptoms, and, in some cases, obtained products from abroad for their kids.

Moved by these stories, the then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced the legalisation of medical cannabis under particular conditions.

Back in 2018, when the law change was announced, the Home Office said: "For the first time in the UK, expert doctors have been given the option to legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines when they agree that their patients could benefit from this treatment.

"The law change... came after the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, listened to concerns from parents of children with conditions such as severe epilepsy.

"The decision was made after the cases of two epileptic children who benefited from using cannabis brought increased public attention to the issue. Their families and doctors said the drug had drastically reduced their numbers of seizures each day."

Simon says he discovered Releaf through a quick Google search and went on to fill out a pre-assessment to see if he fit the criteria.

“Before I got the oil from Releaf, I was using a box of 30 ibuprofen and codeine a month,” he said.

“I virtually don’t use it at all anymore. For me, it’s a really significant difference. A few years ago, someone introduced me to CBD oil.

“I was reading about it; one of the things was cannabis. I read it had become legal through specialist suppliers. I Googled it and found Releaf. I filled in an online pre-assessment and met the criteria.

“I had to find the relevant medical proof, which in my case I had been prescribed diazepam and codeine by my doctor - not things you can take on a long-term basis. I had also been using acupuncture.

“That met the criteria for medical treatment and I got through triage. I was then prescribed cannabis oil and it all arrived in a kit. What I really like is the gentle dose of the oil. It alleviates the symptoms; it really helps take my mind off it.”

While Releaf is a private clinic, very few people in England are likely to get an NHS prescription for medical cannabis.

The Home Office has stated that the 'decision to prescribe these unlicensed medicines must be made by a specialist doctor – not a GP', ie a doctor who focuses on one area of medicine - such as neurology or paediatrics - and is listed on the General Medical Council’s specialist register.

Decisions are 'case-by-case', and 'only when the patient has an unmet special clinical need that cannot be met by licensed products.'

An NHS prescription process would typically start with a specialist who would discuss all other treatment options first before considering a cannabis-based product. And that prescription for medical cannabis would only be given when it was believed to be in the patient's best interests and when other treatments had not worked or were not suitable.

Currently, it is only likely to be prescribed by a hospital specialist for rare, severe forms of epilepsy, adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy and people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).

However, the 2018 law change places no limit on the types of conditions that can be considered for treatment privately and doctors no longer need to seek approval from an expert panel in order for patients to access cannabis, allowing patients like Simon to legally access products of the type that were once illegal for all.

Simon, a retired TV and radio producer, says his new lease of life has even allowed him to start writing – something he couldn’t do while in so much pain before.

“I feel really good about it and I continue to use the oil,” he said. “I use a small dose; it’s really changed my life - morning and night.

“At the same time, it’s enabling me to address neck problems a bit more through exercise because I feel better about it.

“Since retiring, I’ve gotten into writing. I can sit down at the computer for a few hours at a time without getting aches and pains.”