A Birmingham chef who says he has not slept naturally for about 20 years has described how a medical cannabis prescription has changed his daily life, as first reported by Birmingham Live.

Adam Knight, 36, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. He told the outlet that the antipsychotic and antidepressant medication he took from the age of 12 or 13 “never worked”. He said it left him foggy, unable to sleep and increasingly isolated, and that he struggled to talk to friends and family.

Prescription after a breakdown

Mr Knight said he was prescribed medical cannabis in July this year, after a mental health breakdown. The prescription was issued by the UK clinic Releaf. He said he loves his work as a chef but had found it harder to cope with its pressures because of his anxiety and PTSD.

He was prescribed medical cannabis flower, which contains THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. It is taken using a medical-grade vaporiser. Smoking medical cannabis is illegal in the UK.

Mr Knight described the change as almost immediate. “When I’m stressed or anxious, everything feels faster than it is,” he said. “But with medical cannabis, it’s almost like the world slows down to a normal pace.”

He said his night terrors have stopped. “I barely remember my dreams, and the dreams I do remember are all good,” he said.

Other changes he reports

Mr Knight said that since starting treatment he has stopped smoking tobacco entirely. He has also accepted a therapy programme offered through his mental health team, something he said he had never thought possible.

He said he now finds it easier to think clearly and communicate, and that this has helped relationships at home and with friends. “Now I can speak to people, and things feel calmer around me,” he said. He added that he would encourage anyone hesitant to try it.

Background

Cannabis is a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Since 1 November 2018, specialist doctors in the UK have been able to prescribe cannabis-based medicines when other treatments have not worked. NHS prescriptions remain rare, and most patients obtain treatment through private clinics.

Mr Knight’s account is one person’s experience. It does not show how medical cannabis will work for others, and anyone considering treatment should speak to a qualified doctor.