YOUNG HERBAL

A topic I’ve really been trying hard to word correctly is about marijuana. It is hard to discuss whether this plant can be useful or not, as arguments can often resort back to the fact it’s weed we’re talking about, and the law and stoners and all those issues which clump together. That people are shot when dealing this in America, and drug addictions and other issues can be funded by the sales of this, well, at the very base of it, it’s a flower really. I find it ridiculous how far this has come… in a effect-on-the-body comparison to cocaine, amphetamines and ketamine, it is incredibly mild. 

The stoner stereotype is very detrimental to the legalisation of the plant. It’s medicinal effects really should be talked about over the socially harmful effect it may or may not have on society. Those dodgy drug dealers who start people on weed, and lead them to higher and more addictive substances, won’t be able to. As the people who want weed, will go and find weed elsewhere.

I’ve always thought the herbal issues belong with the herbal practitioners. With the regulation which may come into place, at some point, we could tackle both the herbal registry with the legalisation of marijuana. We could recommend or provide other herbal mixtures for our patients to smoke to suite them more, if the need is medical. 

About people just willing to get high… I see no reason why this can’t be allowed. Possibly for people on benefits who wish to use their taxpayer’s money on it, they could perhaps be only allowed a certain amount? Or possibly banned all together until they are able to provide for themselves… and then if they are not causing trouble or draining on society, there is no reason really. 

In terms of psychotic effects which occur after the use of marijuana… many negative effects can occur from using certain herbs for an extended period.  As a herbal practitioner, I would only recommend using the herb for when it is needed, e.g. for hunger stimulation, for helping to guide to sleep, etc.

There is no doubt this is a herb, and there is no doubt that this is a medical plant with possible benefits to the public. As a herbalist, I would look at the issues of the patient and how they would benefit from treatment. If it is apparent they need marijuana, I’d make sure to follow recommended doses and length of prescription.

I’ve spent today sort of thinking about where I go after university. I consider some more training in a similar subject, such as dispencing, or maybe counciling. Either way, it’s going to be pretty hard for a young herbalist to stand on her feet after only three years of experience. 

Statutory Regulation, which would include all qualified herbalists having the title of “Medical Herbalist”, seems to be similar to trying to catch the moon; it’s just out of reach, and has been for a few years now.

The NHS also recognises that these medicines do have a use, as quoted from the ‘CAM’ section of their Jobs websites, “Some of these therapies have been known to help alleviate the symptoms of certain illnesses in cases where orthodox medicine does not seem to have offered a complete solution.”  However, as a herbalist, they’re only willing to offer a part-time position, if we are in fact lucky enough to find a co-operative GP or doctor. This is what sparked my ideas in looking for other areas to train. Although… I am considering traveling in countries that don’t have such an aversion to herbal medicine, places like Germany or Australia. It’d be good to see how their countries co-exist amongst orthodox and complementary medicine.

The UK really needs a fresh pair of eyes on the subject. It’d be nice for say, the German health head and the British health head to have a chat and see what comes of it.

After dropping my partner off at the airport, I returned home and found an e-mail telling me that I was one of the last pupils to study Herbal Medicine at my University.

It was just before Christmas in my last History and Philosophy lecture, that we discussed how Herbalism was taught in colleges up until the late nineties, then a few courses began opening in Universities across the country. Over the years, they all began closing. The most recent was the Napier course, and right now there is just Westminister and Lincoln left.

In the e-mail, the government seemed to be to blame; funds and money are a struggle all over the country at the minute. They affect everything, although I had thought I had missed the problems by getting in the year before increased fees were introduced. As a student, it is easy to feel victimised. As a herbalist, it is also easy to feel patronised. However, with the University having entry issues last year, it is plasuable for them to remove a course with little interest. 

I still feel really sad about this. However, it would be beneficial for future students to study Herbal Medicine at a specified college,where everyone is on an equal playing field, rather than a mix of multiple varied courses in one building. I’d also hope the college’s herb garden would be happier than ours.

Hello. My name is Emily Siddle. I am training to become a herbalist. In this blog, I’ll talk about my course, controversies in the medical world, and my opinions on how things should be.

At the minute, I am the youngest person training on my course. That’s the origin of the name of the blog. 

It’s also a play on herbalism, it is an incredibly old medicinal treatment method. As times change, herbalism evolves alongside conventional medicine. This evolution is very important, and so herbal medicine has become young again; trying to find it’s feet in a world mixed with people sternly for and against natural medicine. It needs a middle ground. Herbal medicine can’t do everything, but as holistic practitioners, we can aim to help people as best as we can, even if that is not with herbal medicine.

Those are the sorts of things I will be discussing. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thank you for reading.