Shocking moment armed Met Police ground flight over patients' prescription medication: 'Appalling!'
Armed Met police storm BA flight over prescription medicine
This is the outrageous moment armed Metropolitan Police officers boarded and grounded a British Airways flight for hours simply because patients had their prescription medications with them.
GB News can exclusively reveal that the incident occurred on an Amsterdam-bound flight at London City Airport on June 28.
Armed Met officers stormed the plane after pilots expressed concerns about a potential contact high. This is where cannabis smoke is inhaled by someone who isn't smoking it directly.
Five patients prescribed with medical cannabis had their medication confiscated and put in hold by the officers, despite having obtained travel letters and clearing security checks prior to boarding.
Officer is seen questioning a patient over his prescribed medication
X
Videos circulating on social media show the chaotic scenes unfolding, with one distressed patient telling an officer: "It's been legal for six years. You should know this!"
The visibly confused officer replies: '"In the UK?"
Thankfully, Jon Robson, CEO of cannabis clinic Mamedica, was on the same flight.
He was able to intervene to educate airport police, clarifying that none of the patients were violating any laws.
Mr Robson explained to the officers and crew that prescribed use has been legal in the UK since 2018.
He showed them the patients' prescriptions, medicines and official travel letters. After engaging with the police, the officers radioed to their superiors to confirm what he was saying was true – which it was.
Upon landing, the patients' confiscated medication was dumped in a carrier bag and onto the baggage carousel for collection, further prolonging their ordeal and putting the wider public in danger.
"The medication has just come off the carousel alone with nobody with it. Multiple people's medications all in one bag. Anyone could have walked off with it," fumes another patient is another video circulating on social media.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Robson said: "We’re hugely surprised that an officer from the Metropolitan Police was unaware that medical cannabis had been legal in the UK for almost six years.
“It took the best part of an hour for them to validate the paperwork the patients had produced. I hate to think what would have happened to more vulnerable patients, less familiar with the legality to be in possession of the medication, should they have been travelling on their own, or if they were suffering from a neurological or psychological condition that inhibited their ability to communicate.
“We are frankly appalled by the discriminatory experience the patients had to endure. Not only was there no precedent for confiscating medication, but there was also a clear violation of data protection, as patients were forced to hand over their medication in front of over 100 other passengers. Patients are always advised to keep their prescriptions on their person; it should not be handled by someone else. Dumping the medication on the luggage carousel with suitcases after the flight landed goes against all professional and medical advice, and was both dangerous and immoral."
He claims the patients were "extremely anxious, embarrassed and made to feel ashamed" of their medication.
He alleges the patients were asked to step forward to the front of the plane to explain themselves. They were then faced with armed police who were unaware of the law and did not know that their medication was legal – a scenario that was "extremely worrying and intimidating for those involved", the CEO tells GB News.
"The distress of the patients was further exacerbated when their medication was confiscated and placed in the hold with general luggage. The medication was only retrieved when the patients found it rotating on a carousel with suitcases, completely unattended," he continued, adding: “Following the incident, we’d like to offer British Airways a free education programme around passengers travelling with prescribed medicinal cannabis to avoid situations like this from happening again.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Passenger expresses outrage at finding the medications dumped in one bag on the carousel
X
For Mr Robson, the incident reflects a "huge lack of awareness" about the use of legalised medical cannabis in the UK, adding: "Many people are unaware of this fact, but more worrying is that the police are often totally unaware. It is common for arrests to take place when patients are legally consuming their medicine for common conditions such as chronic pain or anxiety."
The Met Police issued the following statement to GB News in response: "Police were contacted by members of airline crew at London City Airport on 28 June after concerns were raised about cannabis that had been brought on board a flight.
"Officers attended and it was established there was a legitimate reason for this and no criminal offences had been committed. There was no further police action."
Mr Robson is calling for greater awareness about the use of medical cannabis in the UK.
Travelling with medical cannabis prescription is permitted, but passengers must fill out a travel request form provided by a medical cannabis clinic at least two weeks before your travel date.
When travelling, it is important to be aware of the restrictions of bringing Cannabis-Based Prescription Medicines (CBPMs) in or out of the country you are visiting.
These medications are highly regulated and may not be legal to possess in certain countries. It is crucial to check the government website of your destination country and be familiar with their medical cannabis laws before visiting.
When travelling with your medical cannabis prescription be sure to keep the prescription in the resealable packaging it originally comes in, as it will have a prescription label with your name on it. This is so that if you were stopped by authorities, your ID will match your prescription, therefore be sure to always carry your ID. Also ensure to inform the hotel or establishment of where you are staying of your medical cannabis prescription, this is so they can advise you on where you can use your medical cannabis vape.