r/Crainn • u/tinkle_tink Legalise it! • 8d ago

Medical Cannabis MCAP review is finally happening — with under 100 approved patients in 5 years, what conditions actually need to be added?

the department of health is finally running its review of the medical cannabis access programme (mcap) and the ministerial licence pathway. the review group was given 12 months from april 2026 to finish, so we won't see the final report or recommendations until spring 2027, but are halfway there.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2026-06-09/2339/

5 years in and there are still fewer than 100 patients actively enrolled under mcap because it’s restricted to just three conditions as a last resort (ms spasticity, chemo nausea, and severe epilepsy).

meanwhile, thousands of people dealing with chronic pain, severe anxiety, and endo are left completely in the dark or forced onto the black market / flying over to the UK.

the review group is supposed to assess expanding eligible conditions and fixing access.

what conditions do you think are the absolute minimum they need to include for this scheme to stop being a complete failure?

and do you think consultants here will actually start prescribing even if they widen it?

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u/denise90 8d ago

As someone with MS, more than just spasticity needs to be covered. MS isn't some tick list symptom kind of disease, it looks different for everyone, we can and do have a range of debilitating symptoms that aren't related to spasticity. Cannabis has changed my life regarding my MS, my lifelong insomnia and my mental health too. I know that, my neurologist knows that (and isn't against it) and yet I can't access the MCAP because I don't have the one symptom the Government deems worthy of alternative medical intervention.

Aside from that, we need to cover the range of illnesses that UK cannaclinics do; neurological conditions, mental health conditions, gastro conditions, sleep conditions, chronic pain conditions, reproductive conditions etc.
Take one look at something like Releaf and you'll see the huge gap in care we're experiencing because of this backwards, closed system.

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u/mushroomgirl 8d ago

Girl, I do have the MS spasticity but my consultant still won’t prescribe it because you have to fail every other medication first. So I’m stuck taking baclofen which makes me nauseous instead. It helps the spasticity a bit I guess?! But I also do smoke a lot of weed, so it’s probably that that’s helping. But it’s just a total crock of shit.

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u/denise90 8d ago

That fucking sucks honestly, I'm sorry to hear that. Trying all drugs for spasticity sounds like a nightmare too when we have something that helps and doesn't cause a list of side effects like the rest of the drugs do. I tried Gabapentin for neuropathy so I could cut back on weed (driving panic), it made my life infinitely worse the entire time I was on it. Cannabis is just simply better for so many MS bullshitteries and it kills me that nobody in the Government will take that seriously from the patients actually dealing with them.

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u/mushroomgirl 8d ago

Oh I’ve just basically stopped driving at this point. I only potter a bit on weekends. But I’m terrified to do anything more.

I have a form of CRPS (chronic pain condition) as well, so I’m on so many different painkillers. But none of them are great for breakthrough pain like cannabis is. Not only that, it helps my mental health as well. I’m in not insignificant pain most of the time, it really wears on you. At least weed makes me feel a bit happier!

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u/denise90 8d ago

Same, I barely drive anymore and I miss it so much but it's either that or be miserable, deprived of sleep and in pain.
I feel you, chronic pain is definitely something that wears on you and your mental health and it's so frustrating that the one thing that actually helps is demonised so much. My little high times before sleep are the happiest points of my day.

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u/IrishCannaClinic 8d ago

The Danes have a similar programme to Ireland but because it is not as restrictive and includes Chronic Pain there are over 3k on their programme! Similar demographic no excuse not to copy!

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u/leafmealoneplss 8d ago

Nah they rather give you opiates for chronic pain because that’s much safer ya know /s

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u/mushroomgirl 8d ago

Hell my doctor has me on ketamine, would much rather a prescription for cannabis.

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u/r420supplies 8d ago

I'd like to see a similar system to the UK. I'd rather go to a private consultant who understands the plant and how it works. You don't have to jump through hoops and beg for it like you currently have to here. Another advantage of the UK system is the choice and variety of strains available, it's a joke that they've been giving patients Bedrocan here for years with no alternative options.

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u/tinkle_tink Legalise it! 8d ago edited 8d ago

but would private be covered for medical card holders? that is the problem

i'm sure most that are suffering wouldn't be able to afford to go as they can't work fulltime .

then it's access based on wealth which is not something i think we should do

i think gps should be able to prescribe which would help solve the problem, that's if they prescribe!

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u/cosmic_monsters_inc 8d ago

What's the chances they try to roll it back and take it away?

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u/Jackaroo2017 8d ago

If Simon can he will!

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u/leafmealoneplss 8d ago

I’ve got epilepsy. If I don’t have THC I’ll have a seizure that day. But under MCAP I have to have treatment resistant epilepsy. The only treatment that works is THC. Costs me a fortune but because I take my meds with the THC they put it solely down to the meds. They also don’t have any “reputable & suitable” products available for epilepsy on the MCAP programme. So even tho treatment resistant epilepsy is one of the things you can get it for you actually can’t get THC in any form, just high CBD with trace amounts of THC… if you’re lucky enough to get that

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u/mushy_cactus 8d ago

ADHD.

All scopes of MS. My sister has it and was denied access to the program. Mental.

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u/leafmealoneplss 8d ago

Has your sister ever considered heading up north for it? I’m sure there’s a way of doing it. I’m looking into it myself all morning 😅

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u/mushy_cactus 8d ago

Too much effort for what it's worth.

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u/mushroomgirl 8d ago

Can you really though?

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u/leafmealoneplss 8d ago

Nah it doesn’t seem like it. Dug deep and found no answers 😅

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u/amber_soul 8d ago

I'm assisting to my friend who has Hronic Pankreatitis. Have spoken to hes GP and he's 100% agreed that medical cannabis would be much better option for him than Tramadol daily (10+ years) as cannabis is not only pain killer but also very strong antiinflammatory, with GP we have filled the form for Medical Cannabis and send it to health minister , also his send as to talk to one pharmacy which trying to get Medical Cannabis. Manager of that pharmacy told as that hes know that Medical Cannabis will be in our pharmacys but that's will be happening only when billions worth stake will be sliced

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u/ElectricalAioli3342 8d ago

After reading the review they're using as a guide for qualifying conditions I lost all hope.

https://www.hrb.ie/publication/the-efficacy-and-safety-of-medicinal-cannabis-in-adult-populations-an-evidence-review/

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u/tinkle_tink Legalise it! 7d ago

they're pathetic ... i must look into the authors .. fully integrated into the medical industrial complex no doubt

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u/No_Action_3580 5d ago

I have rheumatoid arthritis and I’m in my 20s. The article that I read said that there is no evidence that cannabis can help with RA but I couldn’t agree less. The meds they do have me take make me wired.