We Need You! Have your views on cannabis heard by British Government
Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee is requesting the public to submit written applications to help inform their debate on the future of medical cannabis policies.
This is your opportunity as a patient to have your voice heard by those who are responsible for drug policy in the UK. This is your chance to get your personal experience with medical cannabis as a patient across to lawmakers.
You may even be asked to appear in person before the Committee to give a personal testimony in defence of legalising cannabis.
While you can submit the application anonymously, we at MMJ strongly advise that you include as much personal information as possible as this gives the movement more legitimacy: it puts a face to the countless patients who are crying out for legal access to medical cannabis.
Essentially, this application is the perfect opportunity to tell those who will decide whether or not you will be allowed to have legal medical cannabis why it is so important that you get this access.
To make the process easier, here are some guidelines to help you with the submission.
Remember: this is your opportunity to tell your story.
How to make a submission:
You can make your submission online.
- You will be asked on this page to fill in some personal details about yourself.
- You will be asked if you are submitting as an individual or an organisation: select ‘Individual’
- You must include your name, surname, email address and telephone number.
- It is optional to include your title, job title, and home address.
- You must upload your submission itself as a Microsoft Word Document (.doc). A guide for writing this submission can be found below
Submission Guide
Title: ‘Written evidence by [your name]’
1. Introduction (1-2 sentences):
- State who you are, and why you wish to submit to the consultation
- Are you a patient or a family member of a patient using medicinal cannabis?
2. What does your experience tell us about the efficacy of medicinal cannabis? (150-300 words)
- How did you find managing your condition before medicinal cannabis?
- How has medicinal cannabis changed this?
- What would your life be like without medicinal cannabis?
3. Do you find the current procedures for prescribing medicinal cannabis in the UK suitable? (150-300 words)
- Can you obtain medicinal cannabis for your condition in the UK?
- Can you obtain medicinal cannabis conveniently?
- Have you experienced difficulties in obtaining medicinal cannabis in the UK and if so, what were they?
- What needs to change to make your life better?
4. How knowledgeable is the medical profession when you seek advice regarding the medicinal cannabis products available for your condition? (150-300 words)
- What has your experience been when seeking prescriptions for medicinal cannabis?
- Does your doctor/consultant have the expertise in your opinion to confidentially prescribe medicinal cannabis?
- Have you experienced any negative feedback when seeking information or prescriptions for medicinal cannabis?
5. Have you been prescribed medicinal cannabis in another country? If so, how did your experience compare to your experience in the UK? (100-200 words)
- In which country were you prescribed cannabis?
- How was the process different from the process in the UK?
6. How has recent media attention around medicinal cannabis affected you? (100-200 words)
- Do you think people in the UK are aware of how medicinal cannabis can help in the treatment of conditions such as yours?
- Do you feel there is a stigma attached to medicinal cannabis in the UK?
Please note:
- This is a suggested guide only. You may choose to phrase your experience in your own way.
- It is strongly encouraged to use spell check and refrain from using slang or abbreviations. Take your time and be thoughtful.