With over seven million people in the UK expected to be affected with chronic pain by 2040*, it is clear more needs to be done to help those experiencing the condition.
According to a study of 2,000 UK adults, those within the 18-34 age range were most likely to consider medical cannabis to manage their chronic pain symptoms (78%), followed by people aged between 35-54 (70%). Fifty-five per cent of people aged 55 and over would consider a medical cannabis prescription to manage their chronic pain condition and symptoms.
However, the research also reveals that there is a lack of awareness about how patients can access medical cannabis. While four in every five (79%) UK adults know that medical cannabis exists, only 26% are aware that it can be prescribed by both NHS and private healthcare professionals for certain health conditions, including chronic pain.
The research was commissioned by Wellford Medical Clinics, which legally prescribes medical cannabis for pain conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis, and neuropathic pain conditions. The research was undertaken to assess people’s attitudes and perceptions of medical cannabis.
People in the East Midlands were most likely to consider medical cannabis for their chronic pain (78%), followed by Northern Ireland (76%) and the East of England (71%). Residents of the South-West (47%), and the North-East (42%) were the least likely to turn to medical cannabis to manage their chronic pain.
Medical cannabis was legalized in 2018, but the NHS will only consider prescribing for three conditions – epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and the side effects of chemotherapy – and there is no definitive indication if or when it will review or add other conditions to this list. This leaves thousands of patients with these and other conditions outside of the current NHS scope to seek a prescription from specialist consultants in private clinics.
Of those surveyed, nearly half of supporters of medical cannabis (48%) believe it can provide hope for people who have not responded to other therapies, and 35% are of the opinion that it’s time to re-evaluate societal attitudes to cannabis and recognise its therapeutic potential (35%). More than a quarter of people (27%) believe medical cannabis could reduce the strain on healthcare resources.
The research also indicated that many of those open to medical cannabis face barriers to accessing treatment. A third (33%) are unsure how to obtain a prescription, 29% don’t know if it’s right for their condition and 26% say they cannot afford private treatment regardless.
Joshua Roberts, Chief Business Officer for Wellford is worried that patients with chronic pain are suffering unnecessarily due to a lack of awareness: “According to the health foundation thinktank, over 5 million people suffered from chronic pain in 2019 – and the research suggested that by 2040, that figure could rise to more than 7.2 million. This is likely to cause further strain on an already overburdened NHS and on private healthcare, and we believe that more consideration should be given to the access and availability of medical cannabis.
“Studies show that medical cannabis is highly effective in pain relief, and it does not have the addictive properties of opioids,” explains Josh. “However, if patients with chronic pain do not know that medical cannabis is available to them under medical supervision, as our research suggests, and GPs are not helping to make patients aware it, then patients continue to risk opioid dependency and addiction.”
