NEWPORT is ranked 6th in UK for use of medical cannabis use, as users say it can be life changing.
New data has emerged from Releaf one of the UK’s fastest growing medical cannabis clinics.
David Sullivan, 58, used to have to take 16 painkillers everyday for pain in his knees.
Mr Sullivan now vapes medical-use cannabis and now longer has to take the "very strong opioids and antidepressants" he previously took.
After three weeks of vaping cannabis in 2021, Mr Sullivan stopped taking the other treatment and said: "I haven't touched painkillers since."
Medical use cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018. It can only be prescribed by doctors on the General Medical Council (GMC).
The NHS advice says "Cannabis-based medicine can only be prescribed on the NHS by a specialist hospital doctor, or under a specialist's supervision."
Mr Sullivan is one of the rising number of people in Newport using medical cannabis.
The town was recently ranked 6th in the UK for the number of people prescribed
Patient data from Releaf’s community of over 40,000 and prescription records was used to compile the figures.
"It's because of me that is," joked Jay Fagan, who runs a medical use cannabis shop in Newport.
JS MediVape Lounge, which opened in May of this year, supplies medical use cannabis.
Mr Fagan said the reasons medical cannabis can be beneficial are "endless", saying: "It can help with chronic pain, migraines, anxiety, PTSD, epilepsy, nausea, insomnia, it's endless. It helps so many people."
"Everyone should have the medical use licence. If you taking it you need that bit of paper."
The paper, Mr Fagan referred to is a cancard, which allows users to carry the drug with them out and about.
His shop offers a space to safely take medical-use cannabis.
Mr Fagan said, despite it being 6 years on from its medical legalisation, the public is not up to date with how cannabis can be used responsibly.
Miss Richards uses medical cannabis because she has bipolar disorder, severe anxiety, PTSD and a vascular condition in her leg.
Her health had stopped her keeping up with her energetic five-year-old daughter.
She was prescribed through Curaleaf and said the prescription process is thorough.
Although initially uncertain, Miss Richards started taking the drug and is now feeling better.
She said before she took cannabis "I’d lie awake for hours, trying to drown out the noise in my mind."
She said: "The cost is one downside—it’s a significant monthly expense. My first consultation was £50, and my prescription cost over £100."
Vince Marenghi, 59, who suffers from the neurological condition, spasticity, said: "I have a spinal cord injury and was prescribed Sativex at a cost of £450 a month."
Sativex was the first cannabis-based medicine recognised in the UK as having medicinal properties.
Mr Marenghi, from Maesglas, said there should be wider availability for the drug for medical purposes.
A spokesperson for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We only prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products that are licensed for use in the UK and approved by NICE.
“Some approved medicines do contain cannabis-based ingredients, but leaf and resin cannabis are not licensed or approved for use by NICE.
“We are aware that some patients access alternative cannabis products via private providers. However, these providers are not linked with the Health Board.”
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