We are open! All about Medical Cannabis in the UK

Medical Cannabis is an individualised therapy, it is available for patients who have tried and

failed previous treatment conditions. Medical Cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant

and at Chelsea Cannabis Clinic we use full-spectrum extracts, available as oils and flowers.

This differs from CBD which is available over the counter, which is regulated as a food

supplement and not as medicine. The two main phytocannabinoids we often refer to are

CBD and THC. Medical Cannabis contains CBD and THC in varying ratios, your doctor will

decide which ratio is best for you depending on your presenting condition, individual

symptoms and medical history.

There is a range of Medical Cannabis products available in the UK, here at Chelsea

Pharmacy Medical Clinic we exclusively prescribe Althea medical cannabis products. We

have both Medical Cannabis oils and Medical Cannabis dried flowers available.

What are the benefits of Medical Cannabis?

Cannabis contains active ingredients called cannabinoids. 2 of these – tetrahydrocannabinol

(THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) – are the active ingredients of a prescription drug called

Sativex. This is used to relieve the pain of muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis.

Another cannabinoid drug, called Nabilone, is sometimes used to relieve sickness in people

having chemotherapy for cancer. It was found in the study, published in the journal Molecular

Cancer Therapeutics, that Cannabidiol has the ability to stop cancer by turning off a gene

called Id-1.

Read the latest updates on cannabis, cannabinoids and cancer – the evidence so far on the

Cancer Research UK website.

THC, the active ingredient present in marijuana slows the progression of Alzheimer’s

disease, a 2006 study led by Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute found out. THC

slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes

them. These plaques kill the brain cells, and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Medical Cannabis can also be used to treat glaucoma, which increases the pressure in the

eyeball, injuring the optic nerve and causing loss of vision. According to the National Eye

Institute, marijuana lowers the pressure inside the eye.

In 2011, researchers reported that cannabis reduces pain and inflammation, and promotes

sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The future of medical cannabis is real!

Dr Balu Pitchiah, our Consultant Psychiatrist qualified as a Medical Doctor from Stanley

Medical College in Chennai, India before completing his Psychiatric Training in Sheffield. Dr

Balu has extensive experience in treating common mental disorders including anxiety,

depression, OCD, PTSD and Bipolar affective disorder. He has expertise in working with

high achievers and people with Type A personalities helping them achieve their full potential

while minimising the impact of their emotional problems on their work and family life.

Dr Sally Ghazaleh, our Consultant Pain Specialist qualified in 2000 as a doctor of medicine

from the University of Szeged Medical School, Hungary. She then completed her specialist

training in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit in 2007 in Semmelweis University. She

gained her higher degree in pain management at University College Hospital, London and as

a Fellow in pain medicine at the national Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queens

Square, London. During the time at the pain management Centre at University College

Hospital, she has gained extensive experience in dealing and managing complex patients

with multiple pain problems such as, spinal, pelvic and cancer pain patients. Dr Ghazaleh is

fluent in Arabic, English and Hungarian.

If you would like to be considered for Medical Cannabis, you can discuss it with your GP at

Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic or call us on: 020 78386180 for an initial assessment.