Britain | Hard cases

Medical cannabis is allowed in Britain for children with epilepsy

But three years after the law changed, they cannot get it

Judgment call

IN 2018 THE suffering of Billy Caldwell, a 12-year-old with epilepsy, forced the government to issue a licence for medical cannabis. His seizures were controlled with a pharmaceutical-grade oil from Canada. That set a de facto precedent. In July that year cannabis products were made legal for patients with “exceptional clinical need”.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Hard cases”

Adventure capitalism: Startup finance goes global

From the November 27th 2021 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Double exposure photo of the British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves.

Why have Britain’s bond yields jumped sharply?

Mostly, blame Donald Trump. But Labour’s policies haven’t helped

Illustration of a woman with the trace of a hand on her neck.

The phenomenon of sexual strangulation in Britain

A survey suggests the risky practice is more common than you might think


Sky Gardens/Midland Mills under construction in Leeds.

The decline in remote working hits Britain’s housing market

A return to the office means a return to town


Britons are keener than ever to bring back lost and rare species

Immigrants that everyone can get behind

A much-praised British scheme to help disabled workers is failing them

It lavishes spending on some, and unfairly deprives others