“It’s going to take a lot of work to break down decades of prohibition”

Thursday 02 December 2021

When Guernsey started issuing licences for medicinal cannabis use, Claire Singer was one of the first people in the island to receive a prescription.

Cannabis was legalised for medicinal use in 2019. A subsequent change in the law allowed importation from 2020. Since then, more than 4,000 licences have been granted.

In October last year, more or less as soon as medicinal cannabis was available, Ms Singer was among the first 29 people to take advantage of the medication. She told Express that it has changed her life.

“I have it for mental health and pain," said Ms Singer.

"I’ve suffered from a pain condition since I was 16 years old. But it had kind of been dismissed my whole life so far and no traditional medication had helped.

“I thought cannabis made mental health issues worse. But then, after a few months, I tried some high-quality cannabis and it cured my insomnia outright. Having it consistently every day has made a big difference to my anxiety levels.”

Pictured: Figures recently provided to Express by the Committee for Health & Social Care - which cover the period October 2020 to November 2021 - reveal a consistent increase in the number of licences issued for medicinal cannabis and, therefore, in the number of users obtaining it on prescription.

Ms Singer receives a monthly prescription from Integro Medical Clinics Limited, one of several clinics in the UK which supplies medical grade cannabis and support to people in Guernsey.

She said that potential users of cannabis who are nervous about the medication should take as much care as possible to choose a respected and supportive clinic. 

“I’ve been with a really good clinic and they’ve been very efficient.

“But having cannabis in this way went against everything I’d ever heard. There is still loads of work to be done about breaking down that stigma.

"Being able to use cannabis in moderation is a massive stress reliever. I think most people would benefit if they had the choice."

A medicinal cannabis prescription is costly - averaging £150 per month. Ms Singer said there is still a long way to go before everyone in need and who could reasonably benefit from cannabis is able freely to access the medication. 

The Committee for Health & Social Care recently announced that from early in the New Year it will charge £25 for each licence whereas currently no charge is made. This concerns Ms Singer. She fears that the charge could be yet another barrier when there are already enough barriers to obtaining medicinal cannabis. She told Express that the charge could be particularly challenging for people who are less well off.

Based on her experiences, Ms Singer suspects there are more people who would benefit from medicinal cannabis than the number who might currently consider using it.

“It’s going to take a lot of work to break down 50 years of prohibition," she said.

"But if you have exhausted all other avenues of traditional medication then I would encourage people to try it."