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Medical cannabis is a plant-based medicine which is extracted from the cannabis plant.

Medical cannabis contains various active compounds known as cannabinoids. These include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other compounds called turpenes and flavonoids. THC and CBD stimulate the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system, within the human body, and can benefit patients by easing pain, reducing nausea, alleviating anxiety, improving appetite and sleep patterns.

Medical cannabis offers a personalised approach to treatment, allowing patients to choose specific strengths and delivery methods, and potentially reducing their reliance on other pain medications that might be ineffective or causing unwanted 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.

Our Consultants can issue you with a written prescription which can be taken to any pharmacy, or they can send your prescription directly to our dedicated online dispensary, CB1 Pharmacy.

CB1 Pharmacy specialises in dispensing cannabis medicines and will therefore be able to get your medication sent directly to your door within 5-7 days.

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.