Two mothers who fought British bureaucracy to obtain lifesaving cannabis medicines for their children have highlighted a crisis in access to medical cannabis on the NHS. Most patients are forced to go private at huge cost, despite the drug being legalised in 2018.
Hannah Deacon, from Warwickshire, spent years battling to get cannabis oil for her son Alfie, who has a rare form of epilepsy called PCDH19. After a traumatic birth and months of seizures, Alfie was eventually prescribed medical cannabis privately, costing the family thousands of pounds a year.
Deacon said: 'I had to fight every step of the way. The NHS offered us drugs that destroyed his quality of life, but cannabis oil stopped his seizures within days.' She now campaigns for better access, arguing that too many families are left untreated due to cost and bureaucratic hurdles.
Despite the 2018 law change, only a handful of NHS prescriptions have been issued. Experts say the lack of clear guidelines and training for doctors, combined with the high cost of private prescriptions, means thousands of patients are missing out on treatment.
The government has pledged to review the situation, but campaigners say urgent action is needed to ensure medical cannabis is available to all who need it, not just those who can afford it.
