Skip to main content

Discover tailored educational content for your region—select your country to get started

Continue
search

Medical Cannabis

Understanding Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis has become a growing topic of interest in recent years, particularly as more countries adapt their laws to support its use for certain health conditions.

Access to medical cannabis is regulated to ensure it is used appropriately and safely. Below, we explore the basics of medical cannabis, its legalisation timeline, and how eligible patients can access it.

What Is Medical Cannabis?

Medical cannabis refers to the use of cannabis or cannabis-derived products for therapeutic purposes. The main compounds utilised in medical cannabis products are the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which have been investigated for their useful therapeutic properties. In addition to cannabinoids, whole cannabis flower or full spectrum extracts of the plant may contain other compounds called terpenes and flavonoids. These compounds are found across all plants and are often responsible for the smell, taste and colour of different plants.

There is some research into the potential medical properties of these compounds, however this is still an area of growing research. These compounds may help manage a range of health conditions, such as chronic pain, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

There are several product types that fall into this category, including whole cannabis flower – which can be vaporised, as well as capsules, oils, sprays, and pastilles containing cannabinoids.

Who Can Access Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis is not widely prescribed in the UK. Access is limited to patients who meet specific criteria, such as those with severe conditions where other treatments have failed. Commonly treated conditions include:

  • Severe forms of epilepsy (e.g., Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome).
  • Chronic pain unresponsive to conventional therapies.
  • Multiple sclerosis-related spasticity.

A prescription must come from a specialist doctor on the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register. General practitioners (GPs) cannot prescribe medical cannabis but can refer patients to a specialist for assessment.

How to Access Medical Cannabis

  1. Consult Your GP or a Specialist Clinic:
    Begin by discussing your condition with a healthcare professional or a clinic specializing in medical cannabis.
  2. Specialist Assessment:
    A specialist will review your medical history, symptoms, and previous treatments to determine if medical cannabis is appropriate for you.
  3. Prescription & Monitoring:
    If prescribed, your treatment plan will be supervised, and the effects will be monitored to ensure optimal results.
  4. Dispensing:
    Medical cannabis prescriptions are typically filled by licensed pharmacies or dispensaries that ensure product quality and consistency.

Each country has its own framework for accessing medical cannabis. If information is not readily available, we encourage you to visit the health ministry’s website of the respective country for more details.