News
Cannabis could be prescribed as painkiller on NHS for those suffering with chronic pain
The trial will see 5,000 patients living with chronic pain take vaporised cannabis daily for at least a year
Those suffering with chronic pain could soon be prescribed cannabis on the NHS as a form of pain relief as the UK’s first trial is approved.
Medicinal cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018, but only in very specific forms and from certain areas of the plant.
However, this could soon change thanks to an upcoming trial that will see 5,000 adults diagnosed with chronic pain test the treatment to see if it works.
According to The Times, the participants will take vaporised cannabis daily for at least a year through inhalers that dispense cartridges containing a measured dose of ‘whole flower’ unprocessed marijuana.
Richard T / Unsplash
Researchers hope the major trial, called CanPain and run by private firm LVL Health, will begin later this year after the completion of an initial three-month ‘feasibility study’ involving 100 patients, which has been approved by the Health Research Authority.
Those from the feasibility study will be compared with a the control group of 5,000 adults of similar age, sex and health receiving standard pain care, to see if cannabis leads to a significant reduction in pain.
Participants will record data such as sleep quality, symptoms of nausea and fatigue and quality of life using a mobile app.
The data from the trial will then be assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to decide if cannabis should be approved as an NHS treatment.
Towfiqu barbhuiya / Unsplash
Tony Samios, from LVL Health, said that if all goes to plan cannabis will be rolled out on the NHS for chronic pain ‘within the next few years’.
He said: “We’re hoping we will provide the data that Nice and the NHS require to get it prescribed… absolutely millions could benefit.
“Doctors are very limited in what they can prescribe [for chronic pain]. The only course of treatment they really have is opioids unfortunately.
“So patients tend to seek other forms of pain management and alternative treatments that could be anything from acupuncture to physiotherapy.”
Crystalweed / Unsplash
The cannabis is estimated to cost £299 a month per patient.
It is also hoped that by legalising the use of cannabis in this way, people would no longer illegally self-medicate themselves by buying ‘poor quality product’ from dealers.
The NHS says there is ‘some evidence medical cannabis can help certain types of pain, though this evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend it for pain relief’.
CanPain is due to run for the next three years and will be open to those aged from eighteen to eighty-five years old and living with non-cancerous chronic pain diagnoses.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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