Leaf of Life

The writer Colin Grant says he carries ‘no lawyer’s brief for marijuana’. Rather, in a landscape in which almost all discussion is polarised, he seeks to explore a range of more nuanced aspects of the drug. In this third essay of the series, Colin looks at the issue of medical cannabis. He traces the way in which it fell from favour in the 20th century and is now rising again, despite opposition and, as Colin sees it, institutional intransigence. It is a subject with a particularly strong resonance for Colin’s family. When his brother, Christopher, struggled with prescribed epilepsy medication, he discovered welcome relief through cannabis use. Colin looks at recent research studies, delves back into the history of medical cannabis, and asks - if it was good enough for Queen Victoria, then why not his brother? Producer: Kirsty Pope A Far Shoreline production for BBC Radio 3