Melissa Sturgess update10 Jan 2023 11:28
Melissa Sturgess, CEO, Ananda Developments
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I think 2023 will see the European medical cannabis space continue to evolve in an active and dynamic way. It is clear we are past the point of no return in terms of medical cannabis across Europe, and it seems that in many jurisdictions we are reaching the same inflection point for recreational cannabis.
In particular I have a feeling we may see the UK space offer up something transformational, as we did in 2018 with medical cannabis legalisation. Most of us didn’t see that coming. We thought medical cannabis legalisation was still a couple of years away.
During the latter part of 2022 we have seen patient numbers increase; we have learned there is a desire for specialists to prescribe from their own practice rather than necessarily via a cannabis clinic; we have seen the MHRA make clear statements about the path to regulated UK-manufactured medical cannabis products, and we have seen the NHS make a clear request to its clinicians to report cannabis prescribing to its own registry.
Patients and advocacy groups are also well organised and working to maintain pressure to bring medical cannabis to patients who need it. I would not be surprised if we see a regulatory change in 2023 which helps to clear the path to making medical cannabis a better recognised, more readily prescribed medicine in the UK.