Morecambe Bay GPs issue more than 150 prescriptions for medical cannabis

The findings come as charities urge for greater access to medical cannabis for those suffering from neurological and autoimmune conditions.

Medicines made from cannabis plants or synthetic cannabis can be used to treat a range of conditions – such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and chronic pain.

However, they are expensive to procure, and some medical professionals disagree on how effective they are.

The most widely prescribed drug made from cannabis is a combination of dronabil and cannabinol, which is used to treat MS, and is commonly referred to by its brand name Sativex.

Figures from the NHS OpenPrescribing service shows these drugs were prescribed 99 times by GPs in 2022 – up from 18 times in 2021.

This represents 26,370 doses of the drug – more than 4,860 the year before.

Over the past five years, 156 prescriptions have been given out by GPs for these medications in the former NHS Morecambe Bay CCG area.

These drugs are only used to treat certain types of MS and contain the active ingredients Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol found in cannabis plants.

While rarely prescribed, CBD is widely available on UK high streets – albeit in varying strength and quality.

Meanwhile, substances containing THC remain illegal outside specific medical uses.

This data shows the number of prescriptions given by GPs, rather than patients – a single patient may have been prescribed a drug multiple times over the same year.

Prescription medication can also be dispensed directly by hospitals – with previous research by the MS Society charity suggesting more than half of prescribing of Sativex is through secondary care.

The MS Society has been campaigning to make Sativex more widely available, and said despite increased availability, some health bodies will not currently fund the drug.

It says the medication can have "life-changing effects" for those suffering from the condition, helping to alleviate stiffness and muscle spasms.

Across the country there were just 23 GP prescriptions for cannabidiol (CBD) based medications in 2022, which are generally used for treatment-resistant epilepsy – none of which were in Morecambe Bay.

The charity Epilepsy Action said access to medicinal cannabis can make a "massive difference" in reducing seizures when other treatments are not working.