‘Like a number of 18 year olds that move away from home for the first time, my first experience with cannabis came at university during freshers week. In those days the hashish or flat pressed weed was mixed with tobacco and smoked in spliffs, either provided by a ‘stoner’ friend or from friends of friends and was a staple of university life.
As I entered the world of employment, I continued to smoke street cannabis, but treated this as a way to relax of an evening and weekend, rather than for the medicinal properties that I see now.
Sourcing from street cannabis became harder and harder as I got older as old friends gave up, settled down or moved away.
After a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in around 2010, I was a typical bloke that ignored the doctors advice when they asked me to stop drinking and smoking so that I could take the RA medication. With hindsight, I should have listened to the doctors as I have now had 2 x hip replacements and 2 x knee replacements over the last 4 years.
My journey with Prescription Cannabis began during lockdown when I took part in a feasibility study for Chronic Pain, using whole flower cannabis through a Ryah smart dosing inhaler. I loved the device and the idea for the study, but it was clear to me that the patients had not be consulted.
I have used Prescription Cannabis though a vaporiser to stop smoking tobacco. I have used Prescription Cannabis to cut back on my drinking. I currently use Prescription Cannabis as an alternative to prescribed pain medication.
When looking for a new role after redundancy, I knew that I wanted to get involved in the exciting emerging field of Prescription Cannabis. I believe clinical trials are the way forward and data collection is essential.
As a father to 2 teenage girls, I am also very concerned that the government allows county lines and street gangs to control the cannabis market’….WHY?
Daniel Sparrow
