A Castlederg woman today (Wednesday) completed her 150 mile walk to Belfast, carrying her 11 year old disabled son.

Charlotte Caldwell has been fighting for treatment for her son Billy who suffers from a rare form of life-threatening epilepsy.

The eight day walk to Belfast culiminated in a meeting with doctors at the Royal Victoria Hospital if they can take over his care, using medicinal cannabis, from doctors in LA where Billy has been treated.

For the past 50 days he has been seizure-free thanks to a cannabis oil treatment he received in Los Angeles. Charlotte Caldwell, proud mother of her ‘wee warrior’, organised the walk to raise funds for Billy’s treatment.

It has become a highly-charged emotional issue, debated in the Dáil and played out on social media with prominent campaigns attracting national headlines.

There is a growing clamour for greater access to medicinal cannabis for patients with debilitating conditions, and in particular children suffering from certain types of epilepsy.

Health Minister Simon Harris has come under intense pressure to make certain cannabis treatments more widely available.

Last November, the Dáil passed a bill tabled by People before Profit TD Gino Kenny to make cannabis available in Ireland for medicinal use, after the Government said it would not oppose the legislation.

Expert group to look at use of a cannabadiol product to treat patients with epilepsy.

Irish neurologists are to draw up guidelines on the safe use of medicinal cannabis for patients with epilepsy.

An expert group made up of consultant neurologists is to begin drawing up the guidelines shortly in order to provide clarity for doctors and patients on the issue, according to the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.

A key ingredient of cannabis may help treat anxiety and drug addiction, suggests a new study.

Researchers say cannabidiol appears to have effects on emotion and emotional memory - which could be helpful for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority has recommended access to medicinal cannabis under a monitored, five-year programme, confined to a number of specific illnesses.

HPRA CEO Lorraine Nolan told members of the Oireachtas Health Committee that the authority could not recommend widespread access to cannabis for the treatment of a range of medical conditions.

However, Ms Nolan said that access could be facilitated under appropriately-controlled circumstances where adequate assurance of patient safety and follow-up can be provided.

The HPRA provided an expert report to Minister for Health Simon Harris on the use of medicinal cannabis following cross-party support for legislation proposed by AAA-PBP TD Gino Kenny.

Amid the recent legalisation of medicinal cannabis, there have been calls for a removal of the ban on recreational use. Mary Meadbh Park looks at the state of the market in Dublin.

BOB Marley famously said that: “herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction.” Since his day, cannabis has risen in popularity worldwide, including in Ireland. The growing increase of users has created a thriving market for the plant, particularly in Dublin.

It is seldom now that a walk around the city centre on a weekend night will not bring up that all-too-familiar aroma at least once. This, of course, begs the question: “who is smoking it?” and most importantly, “where did they get it?”

A report to be published later today is to recommend that medicinal cannabis be made available to patients with specified medical conditions.

It is among a number of recommendations contained in the Cannabis for Medical Use report, which is to be published by Minister for Health Simon Harris.

The report makes eight recommendations and was compiled by the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

It states that cannabis has potential therapeutic benefits, but there is a need for robust evidence to be generated through clinical research in patients.

By now you’ve probably heard of cannabidiol (CBD), an active ingredient in cannabis that, unlike the rest of the plant, is legal in the UK.

Some people who have suffered strokes, cancer, depression, anxiety and general aches and pains have reported positive effects after using CBD, and the NHS is reportedly doing research into the compound with plans to officially class it as a medicine.

Until that happens UK citizens are free to buy CBD in its various forms online, something I first did a few months back and have been grateful for ever since.

Here are some observations from taking CBD orally every day for three months to help combat anxiety and sleep issues.

1. Sleep was immediately improved

Tyrone woman living in Los Angeles with son says she does not want to be criminalised.

A Co Tyrone woman whose son with epilepsy is being treated with medicinal cannabis in the US, has said she is unable to return to Ireland because the treatment is illegal here.

The Oireachtas Health Committee has recommended that the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) ensure improved access to medicinal cannabis products.

In a report, published this month, the Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health has evaluated medicinal cannabinoids, and, with medicinal cannabis legalisation imminent in the Republic of Ireland, made a range of expert recommendations.

Dr Michael Harty TD, who chaired the committee, prefaced the report with the following description:

This report offers background to the status of medicinal cannabis and cannabinoids and highlights both the risks and potential benefits of those products.