First medical cannabis clinic for Scotland approved

The first medical cannabis clinic in Scotland has been approved by regulators.

Sapphire Medical Clinic, based in Stirling, is the first medical cannabis clinic to be approved by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).

It will provide safe access to medical cannabis for patients in Scotland.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the clinic will initially offer virtual appointments, with face-to-face appointments resuming once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

In 2018 medical cannabis was rescheduled under UK law allowing doctors to prescribe cannabis-based medicines under certain circumstances.

Cannabis-based medicines can be considered for a vast range of conditions including back pain, arthritis and anxiety, where patients have tried standard treatments with little symptom relief or an unsustainable level of side effects.

Dr Mikael Sodergren, managing director of Sapphire Medical, said: “We are delighted to be the first clinic to be registered with HIS, which is a testament to the robust clinical governance framework we have established in evaluating

patients for treatment with medical cannabis.

“By capturing clinical outcomes through the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, we will significantly contribute to the evidence base and ultimately allow more patients to benefit from medical cannabis as a treatment option.”