UK approves new Cannabis Medicines

Two new cannabis-based medicines for the treatment of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis have been approved for use by medical authorities in the United Kingdom.

Both have been developed in that country from cannabis grown there.

One is Epidyolex for children with two types of severe epilepsy which cause multiple seizures daily.

The drug is to be administered orally and contains cannabidiol, medically referred to as CBD. However it does not contain the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, THC, which gives users the “high”. It is said to be able to reduce the number of seizures by up to 40%. There are an estimated 8000 children in the UK affected by these two types of seizures.

The second drug is Savitex, a mouth spray, made from a combination of CBD and THC, which is used to treat muscle stiffness and spasms in multiple sclerosis. It will however not be permitted to be prescribed for pain treatment.

More and more there is global acceptance of the medicinal value of cannabis and the medicinal cannabis industry is burgeoning. St Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the regional leaders in this field.