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Cannabis has been legal to prescribe for medical use in the UK since 2018. It may not be legal in other countries, some of which may have very harsh penalties for possession or use.

It is a controlled drug which means it is illegal for you to share your medicine with anyone else and it must only be used as prescribed.

Cannabis has been used as a medicine in various parts of the world for hundreds, possibly thousands of years and there are many conditions that it is thought to benefit. We know that people have continued to use, and report benefit from medical cannabis even when it has not been available for legal prescription.

However, like any medicine there is also the possibility of harmful effects. There is generally less evidence for cannabis in the form of high-quality scientific studies compared to conventional licensed treatments. This means we cannot always know whether the benefits of cannabis treatment will outweigh the possible risks. That is why it is usually recommended that cannabis should only be considered if conventional treatments have not been effective, and treatment should be under medical advice and supervision.

Cannabis does seem to show potential for being a helpful treatment for many people who have not felt sufficient benefit from conventional medications or treatments. While some people may find little or only modest benefit, others have described their response to treatment as life changing. Your doctor can help you decide whether to trial medical cannabis in your own particular circumstances.

There is a small risk of addiction with medical cannabis, as there is with some other medications such as certain painkillers, sleeping tablets and sedatives. Your doctor will help you try to keep the risk of addiction as low as possible. Most people who use medical cannabis do not appear to become addicted to it.

Like any medical treatment this will be discussed between you and your doctor, considering your circumstances, monitoring your response to treatment and modifying your treatment plan as necessary to achieve the best balance between effectiveness and management of risks and side effects.