I find that starting with “my journey” always helps me get into the flow of writing. I hope it resonates with people and, in some way, offers comfort or guidance.
I had an uncle, someone I loved dearly, who we often joked had nine lives. He had overcome so much in his younger years, but then came the diagnosis that changed everything: cancer. The road ahead was tough, both physically and emotionally, for my uncle more than anyone, but also for all of us who loved him.
Back then, Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products (CBMPs) were illegal in the UK—this was pre-2018 when the initial diagnosis and treatment journey began. However, through word of mouth and within the patient community, Cannabis Oil was recommended to us. We knew it wasn’t going to perform miracles, but at that point, we were looking for any form of help that wasn’t coming from the conventional services we expected to support us. There was no harm in trying; the worst-case scenario was that it wouldn’t provide any comfort.
To our relief, the oil helped. My uncle slept—peacefully, which was the most important thing. His mood improved, he had more drive to fight, and overall, he seemed better in himself. Unfortunately, it did little for the cancer itself at that advanced stage, and my uncle passed away in 2019, just a few months after medicinal cannabis became legal in the UK.
It wasn’t until I returned to the UK from my time in Turkey and saw a job listing for a Patient Coordinator in the Medicinal Cannabis field that I realised it was legal myself! I was mesmerised and immediately applied, even though I doubted my chances. But here I am, almost three years later, with a wealth of experience behind me in this industry.
I fell in love with the job. I grew more competent, felt passionate, heard countless patient stories, studied, investigated, and listened to doctors. But nothing made me more aware of CBMPs than becoming a patient myself.
It was during my second job in the Medicinal Cannabis Industry that I began interacting more closely with doctors, pharmacists, activists, researchers, and patients. I learned that I, too, was eligible for medicinal cannabis for my mental health and noticed the number of patients applying for similar conditions. So, I decided to give it a try.
I had complete faith in the medication and knew it was just a matter of finding the right treatment plan. I am a patient with CPTSD, Anxiety, and Major Depressive Disorder. Initially, I tried a strain that had fantastic anecdotal support for my conditions, but I found myself in a worse position than when I started.
I could have given up then, but I remembered my journey with pharmaceutical medications. I had tried about six different medications before finding one that had any positive effect on me. So, why would I give up on CBMPs after just one attempt? Yes, it was expensive, but I had the resources to give it another chance, so I did—more times than I had initially hoped. Eventually, I was fortunate enough to find what I believe to be the perfect strain for me.
During one of the hardest times in my life, I relied solely on CBMPs—a mixture of oil and flower—and, for the first time in years, I was off pharmaceutical medication entirely. It kept me surprisingly stable. No, I wasn’t on cloud nine, but let’s be realistic. It didn’t “heal” my uncle, and it didn’t “heal” me, but it did help. It helped us both immensely, and I know we are not alone.
From pain to sleep disorders, psychological diagnoses to neurological disorders, cancer pain management to endometriosis and menopause—there is help out there that can make life more tolerable, even enjoyable. Here, I will document my journey as a patient and share discussion topics and evidence-based information.
So, welcome to my Medicinal Cannabis Blog!
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