While medical cannabis was legalised in 2018, access remains a challenge for many people. Few people qualify for an NHS prescription, and many can’t afford the cost of private clinics. Growing Pains is a film that captures the harsh reality many patients still face in the UK, and highlights how the consequences of prohibition can have a wide and lasting impact on both patients and their loved ones.
Written and directed by Jack Curtis, Growing Pains is set in St Anns, Nottingham, a post-war working-class housing estate. The film follows the story of Rhea, a troubled teenager who is the primary carer for her Dad, Martin, who was seriously injured in the crash which also took the life of her Mum. Rhea tends to her Dad’s medical and emotional needs, a role that includes administering and assisting with homegrown cannabis to alleviate his chronic pain.
Garry Robson plays Martin (Dad)
Cinema and TV often portray cannabis in a negative light, or see to overly glamourise the plant, as seen in the recent Guy Ritchie series The Gentleman. Growing Pains goes to great lengths to show the stark reality thousands in the UK face, cannabis can be a great medicine for those with serious and complicated injuries, yet it comes with a price.
As the film develops, Rhea faces challenges with bullying at school, leading to disastrous consequences. The outcome will strike a nerve with those who can’t afford private cannabis. Many patients and their families are already dealing with the challenges of complex and difficult medical conditions before they are faced with an impossible dilemma – growing their own cannabis can provide immense relief but it comes with the real and frightening prospect of criminality.
Curtis perfectly captures the juxtaposition that already vulnerable people face, showing the immense emotional turmoil many patients in the UK still face today. Speaking about the film, he says “I wanted to tell this story because I am passionate about medical cannabis and widening the conversation around it. I have personally witnessed transformations in loved ones where cannabis has aided their medical recoveries, and in a sadder case, witnessed the dying days of a friend made more comfortable and bearable as a result of its use. I believe that the prohibition of cannabis in the UK needs to be reassessed and attitudes need to change in ways similar to what’s happening in Canada and the United States.”
The end result is a powerful, emotional story capturing the harsh reality many patients face today. Desveredly, the BFI-funded film has picked up awards at the Dam Short Film Festival and the Anthem Film Festival. Growing Pains is well worth 15 minutes of anyone’s time, especially those who hold back access to cannabis for those who need it the most.
Watch the film for free on YouTube or visit the website: https://growing-pains-film.com/
