Medication profile and THC-normalised cannabis use
1. Daily prescribed medications (normalised to mg of active compound)
• Venlafaxine: 240 mg/day
• Diazepam: 15 mg/day
• Propranolol: 160 mg/day
2. Cannabis (24% THC) – potency and conversion
24% THC flower contains approximately 240 mg THC per gram of material. This allows direct comparison with other medications by expressing intake in milligrams of active compound.
3. Acute use pattern
The patient uses cannabis only during severe neurological episodes. Typical dose is 3–4 inhalations. Estimated material consumed per episode: 0.05–0.10 g.
THC available per episode: ≈12–24 mg
Estimated THC absorbed (20–30% bioavailability): ≈2.4–7.2 mg
Clinical interpretation: Small, titratable inhaled doses produce rapid normalisation of symptoms within seconds, with a highly consistent response profile that is not achieved with prescribed pharmaceutical agents.
4. Total use over 4-6 weeks
Total cannabis flower: 20-25 g over 28-42 days.
Use occurs every day, in multiple episodic doses as symptoms emerge. Daily consumption varies.
Important note: Use is both daily and episodic. Symptoms arise unpredictably throughout the day; each episode is treated with small, titratable inhaled doses that cumulatively constitute daily therapeutic intake.
5. Comparative framing
When all substances are expressed in mg of active drug, the pattern becomes clear:
Patient takes three CNS-active prescription medications daily in moderate to high doses.
Cannabis use involves multiple small absorbed THC doses across each day, titrated to fluctuating neurological symptoms, providing therapeutic benefit unmatched by conventional medicines.
Cannabis use yields very small absorbed THC doses during acute episodes, providing therapeutic benefit unmatched by conventional medicines.
Despite lower toxicity and rapid, reliable symptom control, the patient’s most effective acute intervention is criminalised, whereas higher‑risk daily pharmaceuticals are fully permitted. Expressing all substances in mg demonstrates the disproportionality of the current regulatory approach and supports evaluation under equality‑law and public‑sector duty frameworks.
6. Assumptions
• THC potency: 24% (240 mg/g).
• Per‑episode use estimate: 0.05–0.10 g.
• Bioavailability: 20–30% (inhaled).