Welsh Student's Interest in Medical Cannabis Leads to Oxford University Admission

Strategic Insights -

Ariana Howells, an 18-year-old student from Barry, Wales, has secured a place at Oxford University's St Hilda's College to study biochemistry after becoming fascinated with the medical properties of cannabis. She achieved 13 As at GCSE and an impressive 97% in her Extended Project Qualification, which explored the role of THC in sleep and mental wellbeing. Ariana's interest in cannabis was sparked by her mother's experience with Crohn's disease, a life-long condition that can cause significant symptoms and impact quality of life. Medical cannabis has played a crucial role in improving her mother's quality of life, and Ariana hopes to pursue research in this area to better understand its medical potential.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ariana Howells, a Welsh student, has been accepted into Oxford University's St Hilda's College to study biochemistry, thanks to her exceptional grades and research on medical cannabis.
  • Her mother, Sam, has Crohn's disease, a condition that can cause significant symptoms, including stomach pain, diarrhoea, and weight loss, and has found relief through medical cannabis.
  • Medical cannabis has become a key area of interest for Ariana, who has also worked at her parents' virtual clinic, Cannabis Clinic Cardiff, to learn about the evolving science behind cannabis-based treatments.
  • Ariana's research for her Extended Project Qualification found that there is a lack of comprehensive research on the medical properties of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.
  • She believes that cannabis may have medical properties that can transform lives and is driven to explore this area further at university and beyond.

Statistics:

  • 1 in 350 people in the UK have Crohn's disease (Source: NHS).
  • THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, responsible for its psychoactive effects.
  • 7 studies were only found on the medical properties of THC, highlighting the need for more comprehensive research (Source: Ariana Howells).
  • 2018 was the year medical cannabis was legalized in the UK (Source: UK government).

Sources:

  • NHS: 1 in 350 people have Crohn's disease.
  • United Kingdom government: Medical cannabis was legalized in 2018.