Mother of epileptic Alfie Dingley revives fight against medical cannabis after 4 years of Conservative failure

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Four years after the legalization of medical cannabis, there are only a handful of prescriptions on the NHS - but tens of thousands distributed privately . Some families are struggling to pay the bill, says activist Hannah Deacon

Alfie once had 500 seizures a MONTH - but is now approaching his thousandth seizure-free day after being prescribed medical cannabis. (

Image: scope ordered)

The mother of an epileptic child who relies on cannabis to stop his seizures is reigniting her battle to get the NHS to prescribe medical marijuana.

Around 700,000 people have signed a petition calling on Health Secretary Steve Barclay to 'stop denying access'.

This comes four years after Hannah Deacon won her fight to have the health services prescribe medical cannabis for her epileptic son Alfie Dingley.

Access to prescription medical cannabis in the UK was made legal in November 2018 for certain conditions, raising hopes for thousands of people with epilepsy and chronic pain

Yet only a handful of prescriptions across England are being issued due to 'extremely restrictive guidelines' blocking access, Ms Deacon said.

Alfie Dingley's cannabis oil medicine Bedica THC (L) and Bedrolite CBD (R) sit on a counter in his family's kitchen (

Picture:

Getty)

This despite the fact that around 20,000 patients in England currently pay for private medical cannabis prescriptions, raising fears of a two-tier system. "There has been a total blockage of access to the NHS," the Warwickshire campaigner told the Mirror.

Some parents would pay between £1,000 and £2,000 a month for private cannabis treatment for their children with epilepsy.

"We have families fundraising to pay for medicine that is legal. It's an absolute disgrace. It really hurts people who are already vulnerable," she added.

Hannah's petition is one of the fastest growing on Change.org after she renewed her call for change.

And she says that Alfie, 11, has just celebrated two and a half years without a seizure since being prescribed cannabis - having already suffered up to 30 violent seizures...