We’re one step closer to relaxing our draconian weed laws in the UK. Treatments using medicinal cannabis products can now be prescribed to patients on the NHS.

It’s likely that the products available will be pills, capsules and oils, and for now, the products can only be prescribed by specialist hospital doctors rather than your local GP. Guidelines also state that all cannabis treatments should be reserved for cases where all other options have been tried and failed.

Two recent cases of two young boys with rare forms of epilepsy sparked fresh debate as their parents fought for legal access to cannabis oil. As such the new guidelines will be in place for children suffering with severe epilepsy, adults who are nauseous because they are going through chemotherapy, and people who have multiple sclerosis.

In the UK, we generally lag behind the likes of Canada (which has nearly run out of weed) and Uruguay, where you can use and possess weed freely for recreational purposes. Several states in America have also relaxed weed laws, spawning a rise in weed entrepreneurs making everything from weed tampons to Netflix branded strains.

Although, there are still many states who have people serving jail sentences for possession and sale of marijuana while these new start ups get glowing profiles in Forbes. Except California, which has nobly taken the steps to make sure people can erase their previous weed convictions now that “dealing” is now classed as “entrepreneurship” in the state.

Let’s hope that we’re seeing the first steps to a global rethink on the failed war on drugs.