Legalising Cannabis. What's your view?

Should we be legalising cannabis for use in multiple sclerosis? 

There is an article in the Guardian about it.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/27/legalise-cannabis-as-treatment-of-last-resort-for-multiple-sclerosis-says-charity


Currently there is a licensed version of Cannabis called Sativex, the problem is it costs too much and so it is not approved for use in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England yet it is available in NHS in Wales. Surely this is wrong! 

Another example of the post code lottery.

In the paper it says

“We (the MS Society) think cannabis should be legalised for medicinal use for people with MS to relieve their pain and muscle spasms when other treatments haven’t worked,” said Genevieve Edwards, the MS Society’s director of external affairs".

"The charity is also urging NHS bosses to make Sativex, a cannabis-based drug used by some people with MS, available on prescription across the UK so that patients who can afford it no longer have to acquire it privately, at a cost of about £2,000 a year. Wales is the only home nation to provide the mouth spray through the NHS".

Pharma make the existing (Cheapish) drugs  but if street cannabis becomes legalised, will pharma bother developing new drugs, if they can't make a return. I suspect the answer is No.  

It is simply not worth it.

A longer-acting version of baclofen has been approved in US but where is it?

As someone who has been developing a new treatment, this question is very pertinent. Will someone invest in its further development?

I am detached from the financial issues and have no power to influence costings/pricing, but I am acutely aware that cheap price may mean no interest

Sativex is not approved in the USA, yet now there are loads of States that have Medical Marijuana at a fraction of the cost, 
I suspect it may never get approved.

Therefore, the profits from the American sales cannot be used to offset cheaper drug prices for the NHS. 

Should the MS Society really get behind Off-label prescription, as there are alternatives to many of the current MS medications and their high cost is no doubt is causing rationing. 

Should Marijuana be legalised for MS, I have my views but I'll keep them to myself.

CoI. I am developing an alternative to Cannabis and so I will keep my mouth-shut aout the merits of Lagalisation

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