The Medicann Clinic is the latest island business rolling up its sleeves and supporting this year’s Awards for Excellence.

The company is sponsoring the campaign’s ‘Health and Wellbeing Initiative of the Year’ category, an area close to the heart of the company.

‘The Isle of Man was the hardest of all our jurisdictions [Jersey and Guernsey] to get established and going, but coming from the Isle of Man, it was the one that I really wanted to do.’

That’s Gary Whipp, owner of Medicann. Despite the company being among the fastest growing medicinal cannabis clinic in the UK, Gary says they often find themselves continuing to battle with a lingering taboo.

‘What people still have to understand is that medicinal cannabis is a registered medicine and completely legal when prescribed by a qualified doctor.

‘And as soon as people get to grips with that and stop thinking about people just having a “spliff” and looking at it as a recreational drug the business will grow even faster and benefit so many in need.

‘It’s illegal to have the medicine in a spliff as lighting up the high temperature kills off the medicinal qualities.’

There have been huge steps forward though in relation to medicinal cannabis.

‘One of the things that’s very eye opening, is we’re now getting referrals from GPs. Seven years ago, I don't think any GP would have done a referral for medicinal cannabis because it was classed as the taboo. Whereas now, patients are starting to realise the potential that medical cannabis has for more than 50 conditions, and it can be taken in many forms, such as oil, flower, lozenge, capsule or vape cartridge’.

Gary did a Netflix documentary last summer on the impact of medicinal cannabis. In it, they interviewed thousands of people whose lives had been transformed after using the drug.

‘All the stories of the interviewees were amazing, but the one sticks in my mind is about a man called Shaun.’ Gary says.

‘This guy was having up to 300 seizures a year, every three or four seizures he was admitted to hospital. Eventually, he came to see us at Medicann when we were opening in Jersey.

‘He said he was made to feel welcome and not like a drug user. He told the camera he tried it [medicinal cannabis], and it helped, but didn't stop his seizures. So, the next month, we tweaked his prescription, which helped slightly.

‘Then, in the third month of taking medicinal cannabis, he said they almost stopped, and in month four, he said they virtually stopped altogether, which is incredible.’

Gary’s passion for the wellbeing of patients and his enthusiasm to continue advancing the health and wellbeing industry is palpable, so his choice to sponsor the Health and Wellbeing Initiative of the Year matches up perfectly.

‘We have an island we should be proud of.’ Gary says.

‘We have a lot of people doing great things here and celebrating the excellent qualities of our islanders and the opportunities they create is fantastic. The Awards showcase the ability of a very small island in the bigger, wider world. I hope to be involved for many years to come.’