The UK government has proven itself perfectly capable, over recent decades, at curbing underage access to alcohol.

The United Kingdom is falling embarrassingly, some say even dangerously behind when it comes to its domestic drugs policy. As the United States continues its journey towards total decriminalisation of cannabis, it’s as if things in the UK have somehow got stuck in a tired and frustrating loop.

That’s the warning issued to the British government by a group of experts, who have stated in the simplest terms possible that it is absolutely imperative that change be brought about is soon as possible. The legalization of cannabis in the United Kingdom would contribute no less than £1 billion if to the British economy every year, in combined taxation and the money that would be saved on pointless criminal justice costs that continue to stack up even today.

In October, the MHRA announced its plans to regulate CBD containing products as medicines. have been following the story as the situation has developed and more information has been made available. Yesterday Drugscience published a letter by the MHRA responding to questions asked by Prof David Nutt, founder of Drugscience, about the regulation of CBD.

Billy Caldwell has spent a large chunk of his life being, in effect, a refugee. Forced to leave home because of a lack of services to effectively treat his condition. At just 11 years old this fighter from Castlederg, Co Tyrone has a severe life threatening form of epilepsy called intractable epilepsy. He is also a status epileptic.

The country with the biggest weed habit? That might surprise you.

A new report claims the UK government should legalise marijuana because it's “the only solution to crime and addiction problems”.

The strongly-worded study - titled The Tide Effect: How the World is Changing its Mind on Cannabis - was produced by the nonpartisan Adam Smith Institute and has the backing of several cross-party MPs including former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

A new report claims the UK government should legalise marijuana because it's “the only solution to crime and addiction problems”.

The strongly-worded study - titled The Tide Effect: How the World is Changing its Mind on Cannabis - was produced by the nonpartisan Adam Smith Institute and has the backing of several cross-party MPs including former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

Cannabis is very much in the news at the moment. This week a cross party group of MPs have called for cannabis to be legalised in Britain, in the US almost 25% of Americans can now access medical cannabis after several more states passed its use in the recent elections, and in the Republic of Ireland, the mother of a seriously ill child decided to walk to Dublin to demand a change in the country’s legal position on the use of medical cannabis for children. 

Cannabis is hugely popular. 182m people use cannabis across the world and, with this level of exposure, the way cannabis is regulated matters. As does the evidence of risks and benefits to health which underpins regulation.

Sometimes saying nothing is as telling as saying something. Silence can suggest retaining the status quo. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been silent about the international regulatory controls on cannabis since its inception in 1935. The past 80 years have brought dramatic advances in scientific knowledge about cannabis, so it is odd that it has not provided updated advice about its legal status. 

Phillip Hammond has said the UK faces a budget black hole of £100bn due to the Brexit induced economic downturn. Sadly, legalising cannabis would only create £1bn in tax revenue.

Last week Chancellor Phillip Hammond said that the UK faces a budget black hole of £100 billion due to the Brexit induced economic downturn. For public services already stretched to the limit the prospect of having to absorb further cuts and privatisation is, frankly, terrifying.

Some have floated the idea that there is a simple solution to plug the gap, and Brexit could push the government to legalise cannabis.

A new review offers further insight into how long-term marijuana use might have a negative impact on mental health, after finding "substantial evidence" that the drug alters the brain's reward system to increase negative emotions and decrease motivation.

The study says there is sufficient evidence to suggest marijuana, or cannabis, reduces levels of dopamine in the brain - a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in learning, movement, motivation, emotion, and reward.