Medical Marijuana UK

[Bangle1]

I'm wondering if any Brits have experience with using any of the permitted distributors here? I'm currently looking at Sapphire Clinics (recommended by my GP). If you use their services, did you use edibles, smoke, vape? Are the strains any better than what I'd buy from Dodgy Dave at the pub?

Some background, I'm not looking to get high. I have Graves' Disease and despite having radiation at the beginning of the year which resolved the hormone imbalances, the related insomnia hasn't truly resolved. The GP has prescribed benzos and z-drugs which help, but I use sparingly as they are addictive and want to avoid tolerance. I recently tried some edibles and sleep was incredible, so I'm thinking of going down the route of medical marijuana.

As a side note, what are people's thoughts on marijuana? Should the UK make it more easily attainable? Even go as far as legalising for recreational use?

[Parsifal]

As a side note, what are people's thoughts on marijuana? Should the UK make it more easily attainable? Even go as far as legalising for recreational use?

Recreational marijuana is a whole different story than medical marijuana.
(I have no experience with medical marijuana)

Meditation is superior to marijuana (I've done both) if we're not talking about a medical treatment.
Recreational marijuana is a drug-induced high.
Meditation is the real thing.  (It takes practice, but leads you to a superior high)

[Pranava]

I'm wondering if any Brits have experience with using any of the permitted distributors here? I'm currently looking at Sapphire Clinics (recommended by my GP). If you use their services, did you use edibles, smoke, vape? Are the strains any better than what I'd buy from Dodgy Dave at the pub?

Some background, I'm not looking to get high. I have Graves' Disease and despite having radiation at the beginning of the year which resolved the hormone imbalances, the related insomnia hasn't truly resolved. The GP has prescribed benzos and z-drugs which help, but I use sparingly as they are addictive and want to avoid tolerance. I recently tried some edibles and sleep was incredible, so I'm thinking of going down the route of medical marijuana.

As a side note, what are people's thoughts on marijuana? Should the UK make it more easily attainable? Even go as far as legalising for recreational use?

From what I've heard, private clinics in the UK just dispense herbal cannabis for you to vape. The quality is meant to be decent - not the best, but far from a crappy street deal. Some of their infrastructure may be lacking too, as I've heard of occasional supply issues.

Not sure if they offer edibles either, which seems to be what works best for you. As far as I'm aware, these aren't widely available in the UK (legally).

Any strains described as indica (or indica dominant) tend to be best for insomnia. Not sure how much choice the clinics offer here.

There's a type of oil known as RSO (Rick Simpson Oil - named after the inventor) that is probably the best form of cannabis for medical use. Its far better for me than the benzos/opiates my GP prescribes for my back pain. The sleep is amazing after a dose too. Again, not sure if you can get that at a clinic. It does get you very high though.

There's a big debate over legalisation vs decriminalisation. Large scale, big money producers have been edging out the smaller artisan growers in the US/Canadian legal cannabis industry, and while it might have changed now, there was still a healthy Canadian black market trade after legalisation as the quality was superior.

Decriminalisation which allows for possession (and growing a few personal plants) may be better. I like the Spanish cannabis club approach

Either way, our drug laws are laughably out of date, totally ineffective, and seriously need updating. Several other european countries have either changed or are changing their laws on cannabis, so it feels like a matter of time before it happens here too

[Bangle1]

I'm wondering if any Brits have experience with using any of the permitted distributors here? I'm currently looking at Sapphire Clinics (recommended by my GP). If you use their services, did you use edibles, smoke, vape? Are the strains any better than what I'd buy from Dodgy Dave at the pub?

Some background, I'm not looking to get high. I have Graves' Disease and despite having radiation at the beginning of the year which resolved the hormone imbalances, the related insomnia hasn't truly resolved. The GP has prescribed benzos and z-drugs which help, but I use sparingly as they are addictive and want to avoid tolerance. I recently tried some edibles and sleep was incredible, so I'm thinking of going down the route of medical marijuana.

As a side note, what are people's thoughts on marijuana? Should the UK make it more easily attainable? Even go as far as legalising for recreational use?

From what I've heard, private clinics in the UK just dispense herbal cannabis for you to vape. The quality is meant to be decent - not the best, but far from a crappy street deal. Some of their infrastructure may be lacking too, as I've heard of occasional supply issues.

Not sure if they offer edibles either, which seems to be what works best for you. As far as I'm aware, these aren't widely available in the UK (legally).

Any strains described as indica (or indica dominant) tend to be best for insomnia. Not sure how much choice the clinics offer here.

There's a type of oil known as RSO (Rick Simpson Oil - named after the inventor) that is probably the best form of cannabis for medical use. Its far better for me than the benzos/opiates my GP prescribes for my back pain. The sleep is amazing after a dose too. Again, not sure if you can get that at a clinic. It does get you very high though.

There's a big debate over legalisation vs decriminalisation. Large scale, big money producers have been edging out the smaller artisan growers in the US/Canadian legal cannabis industry, and while it might have changed now, there was still a healthy Canadian black market trade after legalisation as the quality was superior.

Decriminalisation which allows for possession (and growing a few personal plants) may be better. I like the Spanish cannabis club approach

Either way, our drug laws are laughably out of date, totally ineffective, and seriously need updating. Several other european countries have either changed or are changing their laws on cannabis, so it feels like a matter of time before it happens here too

Thanks for responding, Pranava.

Although edibles worked for me, I am not opposed to vaping. I'm happy with whatever works, but prob wouldn't want to smoke it. I know the clinic also does oil (was discussed on BBC News), unsure if it's RSO though.

As for Indica, it is listed on the dispensary's website, but doesn't state if that is a strain they use. I can ask in my consultation.

I'm very interested in the conversation I'll be having with them. Their average cost per month is £120, which in my mind is reasonable as it breaks down to £4 per night's sleep. Although that's for 24/7 users with pain, I simply want it to get a 7 hour sleep, so costs may be reduced.

Totally agree that the drug laws in this country are wildly out of date and for cannabis especially, it's only a matter of time before it is fully legalised (and taxed).