Neil, a former chef from Northern Ireland, experienced a dramatic shift in his life after transitioning from a regimen of 30 prescription pills a day to using medical cannabis. Struggling with chronic pain due to peripheral neuropathy and complex PTSD, Neil often found himself immobilized and unable to fulfill his role as a father.
For years, he relied on a mix of strong opioid painkillers, including Tramadol, Amitriptyline, and Buspirone, which merely masked his pain without providing real relief. He recalled, “I never had a day without pain. It was so relentless, I didn’t see a way out.”
Neil’s medical history includes open-heart surgery as a child and multiple subsequent operations, compounding his challenges. His career as a chef in Belfast eventually became untenable due to the pain he endured daily.
However, everything began to change when he received a legal medical cannabis prescription through Alternaleaf. Now, he reports a significant improvement in his quality of life. “I still feel pain, but it’s bearable. I can live again. I’m off most of the medication. No more 30 pills a day. I go to the sauna three times a week. I’m back in the gym. I get up every morning at half six. Life is great again,” Neil stated.
Since medical cannabis became legal in the UK in 2018, access through the NHS has remained limited to certain conditions, including rare forms of epilepsy and chemotherapy-induced nausea. Despite these restrictions, Neil has found that medical cannabis has not only alleviated his pain but also provided him with the energy and emotional clarity necessary to be an active parent.
“Before, I couldn’t plan 24 hours. Now I’m raising my son and studying for a law degree. That would have been unimaginable a year ago,” he explained.
Neil is also keenly aware of the stigma surrounding cannabis-based treatments. He noted, “If people knew that this has been legal since 2018, many more people would be able to get help. I didn’t know until my oldest son told me.”
Neil’s experience with law enforcement further illustrates the gap in understanding about medical cannabis. After being stopped by a police officer four months ago, he openly discussed his prescription. The officer was unaware of the laws surrounding medical cannabis, leading to a respectful exchange of information. Neil remarked, “I ended up educating him about it.”
A recent study revealed that 29% of UK police officers still do not know that medical cannabis is legal on prescription, four years after its rescheduling. Furthermore, 89% expressed a desire for more training on the subject.
Since his encounter with the police, Neil has faced no further issues, but he acknowledges the ongoing stigma and confusion surrounding cannabis legality in Northern Ireland. “I can legally travel with my medication, and when I go to visit my eldest in Liverpool, I don’t need to worry about it. I feel a lot more comfortable taking my medication over there than I do in Northern Ireland because the attitudes here still consider it a Class B drug. We shouldn’t be judged or treated like a criminal for a doctor-prescribed medication that’s changing our lives,” he said.
Now pursuing a law degree, Neil hopes to advocate for better education, accessibility, and understanding of medical cannabis. He notes that approximately 30% of people in Northern Ireland live with chronic pain. “We need more voices, especially here in Northern Ireland — to stand up for access, to challenge the stigma, and to make this medicine available to those who need it. Medical cannabis saved my life; it’s allowed me to be a father again. It’s time more people had the chance to say the same.”
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