Cannabis Products

In this post we discuss the products currently prescribed to patients and strains that patients would like to see on the medical cannabis market. We put together a short questionnaire to ask patients what products they are prescribed and for what condition, how they feel about the products prescribed to them and if it is beneficial for their condition, what strains they are familiar with and what condition do they benefit. We also asked patients to provide some feedback on their experiences as a Medical Cannabis Patient. We received 21 responses from patients, here are the results:

Conditions Identified

Condition	Total
Anxiety	10
Neuropathic Pain	8
Epilepsy	0
Parkinson’s	0
Scleroderma	0
Other	12

• Ankylosing Spondylitis Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Neuropathic Pain Colitis
• CPTSD
• PTSD
• Depression
• ADHD
• Chronic Pain
• Migraines
• Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Fibromyalgia
• Nerve Pain

Medical Cannabis Products

From this graph we can identify 2 products commonly used among patients. Khiron 18-22/1 THC Hindu Kush & Adven EMT 1 19% THC (Cairo – Unknown Strain). ‘Khiron Hindu Kush 18-22/1 THC CBD Flos’ was commonly found among patients with Neurological Pain and Anxiety whereas ‘Adven Flos EMT 1 19% THC’ was used for most of the conditions mentioned. Within the Khiron product patients can identify the strain as Hindu Kush, whereas with ALL Adven products the patients are left unaware of the strain name and pretty much any other information.

What Patients Want

List of Strains Preferred By Patients Not On The Medical Market;

• Blue Cheese (Sleep, Depression, Anxiety)
• Cheese
• Granddaddy Purple (Anxiety, Pain)
• Northern Lights  (Pain, Sleep)
• Biscotti (Anxiety)
• Zkittles
• Gorilla Zkittles
• Strawberry Cough (Anxiety)
• Strawberry Haze
• Strawberry Diesel
• Do-si-do (Rumor there was an Adven (EMT 6) of this same strain)
• Girl Scout Cookies (Anxiety)
• Sour Diesel (Anxiety, Pain)
• Green Crack (Anxiety)
• Purple Punch
• OG Kush (Sleep, Depression, Anxiety, Pain)
• S5 Haze (Sleep, Depression, Anxiety)
• Chocolate (Sleep, Depression, Anxiety)
• Pink Panties
• Stardawg (Pain, Anxiety)
• Super Silver Haze
• Train Wreck
• Afghan (Pain, Sleep)
• Afghan Kush (Pain, Sleep)
• Rhino Ryder (Pain, Sleep)
• Bubba Kush (Pain, Sleep)

Patients have emphasised that there are so many strains that they could list although the list is still quite long. No patient was able to identify products from any medical market so there are no CoA with these products they have tested. The 2 most common strains mentioned were Granddaddy Purple (5x) and Stardawg (4x). Grandaddy Purple is best known for treating pain, stress, insomnia, appetite loss, and muscle spasms. Although Stardawg can help treat stress, fatigue and anxiety disorder, patients with pain issues also noted that it helped them too.

Types Of Products

We asked patients what type of products they would benefit from as we received a diverse result. Most patients identified that they benefit mostly from High THC/Low CBD Flower and also identified that Hashish is also beneficial. Currently patients are unable to get Hashish prescribed to them, in the Australian market there is “Bubble Hash” which can be made without additional chemicals or gasses. The Bubble Hash found in the Australian Market is called CannaTrek T55 (Bubble Hash Topaz), from the name it indicates a strong medication. The other products patients would like to see were Pollen Hash.

Conclusion

Examining the feedback from patients it is quite obvious that the consistency of medication we all receive is poor and is proving to affect patient’s treatments. Although medical cannabis has been available since 2018, 3.5 years on and we are still experiencing slow development and improvements to the products we are prescribed. The variety that’s available at the moment is not diverse enough and patients have to be okay with whatever they get prescribed, this causes patients to experience ‘strain lock’, in turn affecting their treatment.

Cost of medication is also something highlighted by patients. The cost is always compared with the illicit market and in doing so we can see that Medical Cannabis is still very expensive, especially for patients who are unable to work due to their health and rely on benefits. Key compounds in cannabis that patients feel are not being taken seriously are ‘Terpenes’. Patients have said that due to the way the product goes through drying, curing, storage and steralisation patients say they can notice a significant decrease in quality and standards.

In conclusion, standards need to improve and prices need to match that of the quality and that of patient needs before entering the market. More products are needed that patients are familiar with and of those products that patients are aware benefit their conditions. We also need more variety of products, including Bubble Hash and Vape Cartridges to help patients who are unable to benefit from Flower, Oils or Capsules. ‘High THC/Low CBD’ flower is most common but there is still a need for ‘Balanced’ flower too.

Patient Feedback

The irradiation process destroys any smell/terpenes from the flower and really does let the whole market down.

Irradiated seems to remove the taste as well as the smell and most of the time the products seem to come as they have been left in storage for too long. Recent batch of EMT 1 has improved because of new method of storage, this has reflected on the effects too!

The frustration for me is the process, there seems like a lot of red tape to make this efficient. Typical “make it hard” strategy from the government who make things a lot harder than it needs to be. Risk assessment gurus who have to make sure there is a safe way to achieve an easy win! Sadly until this is more second nature this will be the case with the UK. It seems also that lots more would benefit from the medicine however this isn’t possible for those who don’t work! Making a system that’s only available for those who are in a position to pay! This in itself discriminates those who can’t afford it and is again a government incentive that only works, as there is money to be made through it. Other countries seem to have this sorted and even have recreational use in hand! Sadly again with the UK we are behind in thinking we know best! When I’m actual fact they are just over cautious as usual and are blind sighted with the fact that legalisation would not only reduce police time! But would create a revenue to assist in these hard times of recession! And would also satisfy the public in regards to allowing it to be legal.

I am currently allowed 30g of flower per month (1g per day) but I actually use double that on average, the prices are actually higher than black market flowers and they don’t have the quality of it yet.

The flower dose not need to be irradiated to meet standards a d its proven by many this needs to stop also the flower needs to be hand trimmed not machines as its destroying the end product and we should be able to pick and choice a flower to what we want not be subject to one type

The Hindu Kush I get prescribed is good for pain relief but I need large doses. Not sure if it’s the lack of terps due to sterilisation or perhaps lack of potency in terms of THC.  I can imagine a tolerance will quickly build up. But for now after just 1 prescription it works well enough.

I appreciate the prescription so much and recognise were early in the process but disappointed at the general standard of products and lack of choice.

The products are improving but it’s crazy to think that there is a high standard market across the globe and we are only importing products that are only just improving… where was the R&D? Irradiation, incorrect curing and storage certainly affect the terpenes but it’s never a concern to the clinicians. We don’t even get Product Information Leaflets with our medicines.

Products are way too expensive for patients without jobs due to disability