Doctors prescribe medical cannabis a dozen times across Nottinghamshire

The findings come as charities urge for greater access to medical cannabis for those suffering from neurological and autoimmune conditions.

Medicines made from cannabis plants or synthetic cannabis can be used to treat a range of conditions – such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and chronic pain.

However, they are expensive to procure, and some medical professionals disagree on how effective they are.

The most widely-prescribed drug made from cannabis is a combination of dronabil and cannabinol, which is used to treat MS and commonly referred to by its brand name Sativex.

Figures from the NHS OpenPrescribing service show 10 prescriptions have been given out by GPs for these medications in the former NHS Nottinghamshire clinical commissioning group area over the past five years.

They were prescribed twice by GPs in 2022, the same as in 2021. This means 540 individual doses of the drug were prescribed last year – the same as the year before.

These drugs are only used to treat certain types of MS and contain the active ingredients Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol found in cannabis plants.

While rarely prescribed, CBD is widely available on UK high streets, albeit in varying strength and quality. Substances containing THC remain illegal outside of specific medical uses.

Across England, 2,953 prescriptions were provided by GPs for Sativex and similar drugs in 2022, up 56 per cent from 1,893 the year before.

The MS Society has been campaigning to make Sativex more widely available. It says the medication can have “life-changing effects” for those suffering from the condition, helping alleviate stiffness and muscle spasms.

Across the country, there were just 23 GP prescriptions for cannabidiol-based medications in 2022, which are generally used for treatment-resistant epilepsy – none of which were in Nottinghamshire.

The NHS is hesitant to widely prescribe these medicines, due to limited evidence on their effectiveness and high costs, although charity Epilepsy Action said access to medicinal cannabis can make a “massive difference” in reducing seizures when other treatments are not working.