Medical cannabis is a plant-based medicine which has been legal in the UK since 2018.

The active compounds in medical cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) stimulate the endocannabinoid system within the human body. This can benefit patients by helping to manage pain, improve sleep and appetite, reduce anxiety and nausea, and stabilise mood. It is therefore useful in managing symptoms for a wide range of health conditions.

Medical cannabis is an effective and sustainable alternative. It offers a personalised approach to treatment, allowing patients to choose specific strengths and delivery methods, and helping to reduce their reliance on medications with more severe and often detrimental side effects.

Yes, the use of medical cannabis within the UK was made legal on 1st November 2018.

Medical cannabis differs significantly from over-the-counter CBD products.

Medical cannabis contains controlled amounts of THC and CBD, both components are necessary for the relief of multiple medical conditions. Over-the-counter CBD products cannot legally contain more than 0.3% THC. While there is some evidence supporting the use of CBD alone for conditions such as anxiety, incorporating THC appears to be more beneficial for most conditions.

Medical cannabis can only be prescribed by Specialist Consultants who are registered with the General Medical Council and it is regulated by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency); the organisation responsible for ensuring the safety, quality, and effectiveness of medicines in the UK.

In parallel, over-the-counter CBD products can be purchased without a prescription. They are not medicinal products and they are regulated by the FSA (Food Standards Agency). Studies have shown that over-the-counter CBD products are often mislabelled, with 69% not containing the amount of CBD claimed, and some products have even failed laboratory testing for heavy metals, yeast, and mould.

You will be offered an initial appointment with one of our Specialist Consultants and a follow-up appointment at 3 weeks. You will then need only one check-up per year going forward.

Each consultation is usually charged at £50. However for 2024, new patients will only pay one fee of £50 for their whole first year of consultations. This fee will be refunded if we decide that you are not eligible for treatment.

If you’re a veteran or ex-emergency services we are more than happy to offer all your consultations free of charge. Please speak to our team if you’d like to find out more.

Following your consultation, your case will be discussed with at least one other health professional to ensure that the recommended treatment is appropriate. This is called a multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDT), and you will be informed of the outcome the following day.

If approved for treatment, your prescription will be sent to our preferred pharmacy and they will contact you via the CB1 Medical App to arrange payment and delivery.

Medications that are in stock will be delivered within 3-5 working days. Medications that are not in stock can take up to 2 weeks to arrive.

Only a handful of patients have secured NHS prescriptions since medical cannabis was legalised in the UK.

Widespread awareness of the benefits of medical cannabis is generally still lacking and NHS practices face other barriers to prescribing, such as additional funding required to cover prescriptions. It’s likely that access to medical cannabis via the NHS will improve but progress so far has been very slow.