Medical Cannabis: A Guide for Patients
Learn more about medical cannabis, where you can access a prescription, and your rights as a patient.
Can I get medical cannabis in the UK?
Yes, the law changed on November 1st, 2018, making it legal to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) in the UK.
What are cannabis based products?
There are currently three products which are licensed, which means that they have undergone strict safety and quality standards. These are Sativex, a mouth spray containing a mix of the active cannabinoids THC and CBD and is licensed for spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis; Epidyolex, a liquid form of CBD which is licensed for treatment resistant epilepsy; and Nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC enclosed in a capsule and licensed for severe nausea often associated with chemotherapy.
Off-licence, these products and other unlicensed products have been used for a range of conditions such as chronic pain, drug-resistant epilepsy, anxiety and related conditions such as PTSD, and sleep issues - there is more information about this on the MCCS website. Data also suggest that a number of neurological conditions such as Tourette's syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, motor neuron disease and more may also benefit from CBPMs. In addition to this further pain conditions may also benefit such as Arthritis, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Endometriosis, and Fibromyalgia (Schlag et al., 2021).
Cannabis based products are made up of cannabinoids, the most well known being THC and CBD. These target receptors which either modulate your nervous system and pain, or your immune cells and inflammation. THC is a psychoactive compound and usually contributes to the feeling of being ‘high’, there are often high levels of THC in street cannabis, for example. CBD on the other hand, dampens the effects of THC. Cannabis is made up of many cannabinoids, however, in addition to THC and CBD, and full spectrum products encompass all of these. It is thought by some scientists that the plant with the full range of cannabinoids, in the correct proportions, will have an entourage effect meaning it may have more medicinal value than products only containing one or two cannabinoids.
Unlicensed full-spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate products are available and are used in the UK for any condition where the prescribing physician sees benefit in a private clinic. These products are mainly available as flowers and oils and have shown benefit for conditions such as PTSD (Lynskey et al., 2024). There are a wide range of products available in the UK with different specific combinations of known terpenes and cannabinoids.
How can I get medicinal cannabis on the NHS?
Despite CBPMs being legalised in November 2018, it is still very difficult to get these products on the NHS. Very few people have been prescribed. Effectively at the moment it is only available through private clinics.
How can I get medicinal cannabis at a private clinic in the UK?
You can find a full list of all UK clinics below, and websites for individual clinics will provide further information on eligibility criteria and costs. You will not require a referral from your GP but you will be required to provide evidence of your diagnoses and previous treatment attempts. These will be documented in your summary of care, which can be obtained from your GP.
What will happen at my initial consultation?
Most appointments will be virtual, although some clinics also offer face-to-face. Your first consultation will be with a specialist consultant, lasting from 30 minutes up to an hour, depending on the clinic. Each clinic has its own approach, but generally, the consultant will review your medical history, discuss any medications you used in the past, and talk through your treatment goals. Together, you develop a personalized treatment plan during the consultation.
Next, your prescription will be sent to you in the post following payment to the dispensing pharmacy as advised by your clinic. Your clinic will decide how often you need to see a doctor or nurse and advise you of any follow-up appointment schedule – there is a minimum of once every three months.
How much does medical cannabis cost?
The cost of medical cannabis products can vary depending on form (flower or oil), dosage, the balance of THC and CBD, and other factors. The flower is typically upwards of £4/g and you should typically expect to pay ~£150 - £300 per month for medical cannabis.
Can I drive and travel with medicinal cannabis?
Medical cannabis may cause side effects such as dizziness and drowsiness, which could impair your judgment or ability to perform tasks that require skill or focus. These effects are similar to those of other medications, including painkillers like opioids. For more information please refer to the CIC guidance here.
When travelling with medicinal cannabis, you should always bring your documentation from your doctor with you, because it is illegal to have some of these products without a prescription. If travelling abroad, you can contact the embassy of the country you are planning to travel to for their recommendations, because there may be restrictions.
Know Your Rights: Medical Cannabis in the UK
Cannabis-Based Prescribed Medicines have been available in the UK since 2019. These medicines are permitted for the treatment of various medical conditions, provided an individual demonstrates exceptional clinical necessity and has exhausted at least two alternative treatment options without success.
The rollout of Cannabis-Based Prescribed Medicines has been tumultuous and has left patients, employers, and UK police forces confused regarding their rights and the law. This document aims to alleviate some of that confusion.
*Important Note for Readers
This information is provided as a guide for educational purposes only. Whereas every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, it is important to understand that is not legal advice, and the information must not be relied upon as such. This is because the information set out herein is not nearly detailed or tailored enough to address all the legal considerations that may arise in any specific circumstances. Some information has been paraphrased and additional legal topics have been omitted for ease of reading, as have many exceptions to the rules set out herein. We would therefore encourage anyone facing issues of a legal nature to contact Mackrell.Solicitors or another suitably qualified law firm for bespoke advice.
