An Oban business owner says he has gone from being “all over the place” to living his best life, all thanks to a medical cannabis prescription.
For the past three years, James Strachan, 28, has dealt with health conditions including bipolar disorder and anxiety thanks to the help of his GP and a private cannabis clinic.
Mr Strachan, who owns Lorn Taxis, gets a prescription for medical cannabis from Curaleaf, a legal clinic based in the UK, with a clinic in Scotland.
Mr Strachan, who lives in Dunbeg, said: “Some years ago I injured my knee badly, and I could not get any relief from the pain.
“I’d become addicted to painkillers and found myself using six, eight, and then 10 and 12 heavy tablets every single day. I was all over the place.”
‘I didn’t go out of the house for weeks on end’
Because of the pain, and his underlying health conditions of bipolar disorder, panic disorder, insomnia and anxiety, Mr Strachan found it difficult to get any relief.
He continued: “At that time I had tried everything. Antidepressants and anxiety tablets didn’t work, in fact, they made me feel worse.
“I was not able to sleep because of the pain I was in.
“In the past, I had been offered relaxation tapes to listen to and was asked to look at my breathing. I was at a very low point in my life and often felt that life was not worth living.
“I didn’t go out of the house for weeks on end. At one point I had not left the house for six weeks.”
He continued: “Eventually my friends told me I needed to try something else. I was wrecking my body with painkillers, which led to the use of illegal drugs.
“One of them said ‘you are using all these things to self-medicate’. It was like a light went on in my head.
“But when you are in pain you reach for anything that is going to try and kill that pain.”
After speaking to his GP, it was suggested Mr Strachan speak to Curaleaf.
‘It was a simple process’
“To be honest it was a relief that someone was taking me seriously and they were talking to me about it honestly and openly,” he said.
“It was like lifting a massive burden on me.
“It was made easier because my GP was very supportive of what I was doing.”
“Cannabis has changed my life for the better.”
Cannabis is a class B drug in Scotland and is categorised in the same group as amphetamines and ketamine.
The Scottish Government has taken a more progressive approach to cannabis compared to the rest of the UK, but it remains illegal for recreational use.
A spokesman for Curaleaf said: “‘Many people are still not aware that medical cannabis is legal in the UK, but we provide care to thousands of patients across the UK at Curaleaf Clinic.
“Patients may be eligible for medical cannabis if they have a chronic condition, which hasn’t responded to first-line treatments.
“The most common conditions include chronic pain, mental health conditions, and neurological disorders.
“People can check their eligibility and subsequently arrange an appointment by going online to CuraleafClinic.com’
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