Following the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2018, it has become quite popular among UK patients. According to the Cannabis Business Times, about 62,960 patients are expected to use the product by the end of 2024. The growing popularity of cannabis in the UK can be linked to the health benefits it has been reported to have.
Medical cannabis is now being prescribed for ailments like rare/severe epilepsy, nausea or vomiting from epilepsy, and muscle stiffness/spasms from multiple sclerosis. Despite its health benefits, medical cannabis still has some stigma attached to its usage. Thankfully, The entertainment industry is helping to bring more awareness to the possible benefits of medical cannabis, which we’ll discuss in this article.
How the Entertainment Industry is Changing the Perception About Medical Cannabis
The entertainment industry has been working hard to change what people think about medical cannabis, but how exactly is it doing this? Read on to find out.
Educating the Masses About Its Medicinal Benefits
Now, TV shows, films, and documentaries show what patients stand to gain from using medical cannabis, as well as the science behind it. One notable TV show called “Can cannabis save our son?” revolves around Dom and Steph Parker’s son, Max Parker, who has dealt with a rare and severe form of epilepsy since he was four months old. The programme shows how he now has a chance at a better and longer life after both parents discover that cannabis oil reduced an American teenager’s daily epileptic seizures, improved his cognitive abilities and didn’t have any side effects. While the show didn’t tell viewers if Max got his prescriptions, medical cannabis through TV as an entertainment medium got the spotlight for its benefits for epilepsy patients.
Yet another is “The Doctor,” a documentary that has received its fair share of recognition, including the Tokyo Film Awards, Robinson Film Awards, Amsterdam International Film Festival, and Manheim Arts and Film Festival. The Doctor follows the story of Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen, who has researched and fought for the use of cannabis medicine since the 1990s. Because of him, over 100,000 German patients can now get medical cannabis prescriptions. This is because against all the odds, he continued to talk about how beneficial medical cannabis could be to the health industry. He eventually created a network that has promoted its use in Europe and North America.
Reducing the Stigma of Using Medical Cannabis
There are several UK cannabis strains, each with its properties and uses. For instance, a tangerine boost is paired with fibromyalgia and depression while blue cheese may work well for anxiety, stress and pain. Although many UK patients are leaning towards medical cannabis, the stigma behind it still lingers. Even now, patients still have to hide their prescriptions when in public spaces and can’t tell people about using them. This is simply because cannabis is still generally illegal in the country, adding to the negative rap it gets. The entertainment industry is very much aware of this, with TV shows about this problem being aired for all to see and learn from.
By watching “A Life of its Own – The Truth about Medical Marijuana” people can walk alongside award-winning journalist Helen Kapalos, as she delves into the complicated nitty-gritty of medical cannabis. Although not a British film (it is Australian), it certainly hits the nail on the head when stigma is involved. The 2017 film revolves around a man who uses the product for fighting the nausea he always got from chemotherapy, but lives in fear of his cop dad finding out about it. Just weeks after the show aired, a large number of patients also spoke about their experience with medical cannabis and the stigma they also experienced.
Exploring Celebrity Support for the Use of Medical Cannabis
In addition to movies, documentaries and TV shows like how games are revolutionizing the music industry, some celebrities in the entertainment industry have also taken a stand to champion the cause for medical cannabis. One such person was Dame Olivia Newton-John. When dealing with metastasised breast cancer, her husband encouraged her to try medical cannabis, which helped soothe the effects of her condition. So strong was her love for medical cannabis, that she and her husband, John Easterling, started growing cannabis as part of their business. According to her, all patients should have the right to try it.
Sir Patric Stewart is also another celebrity who is invested in medical cannabis, as he’s been using its ointment, spray, and edible marijuana medicine to help with his ortho-arthritis. He states that medical cannabis has now made it possible for him to make fists, which was very difficult before he began the treatment. Now, he’s an investor and on the board of Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies in England, where they research medical cannabis and its potential of being an alternative treatment for Parkinson’s disease, pain management, and the like. Sir Patrick is positive that the research will break through the stigma and prejudice surrounding medical cannabis use.
Other notable celebrity mentions are the likes of actors Seth Rogan and Gwyneth Paltrow, Jerry Garcia and Wiz Khalifa who are known for rap music all back some cannabis brands. The likes of Mike Tyson have even made a special appearance at the 2024 MJBizCon in Las Vegas where he promoted his premium cannabis brand, Tyson 2.0. These are to mention just a few.
To Conclude
Medical cannabis products can be made from indica, sativa, or a hybrid of both. There is often a debate between the two strains indica vs sativa which are physically different from each other. However, research has it that due to the amount of hybridization between the two which is quite enormous, their physical appearance can’t necessarily tell how they will affect the individual user. At best, they will have different effects on different people. Medical cannabis is now a popular product for many UK patients, although there’s still a lot of stigma around it. But thanks to the entertainment industry, there’s more awareness of its benefits, which is changing how people view patients who use it. And with influential celebrities telling their stories of their journey with the product, there’s hope that more people will drop the stigma.
Be the first to comment