Conditions
Learn how medical cannabis aids various health conditions. Explore insights, research, and patient stories for informed treatment guidance.
Releaf and MS-UK's Upcoming Webinar
On the 12th of November, at 3 PM, Releaf is teaming up with MS-UK (the UK's leading multiple sclerosis charity) to bring patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals a free webinar discussing the increasingly significant role of medicinal cannabis in treating symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis.
Real Voices: How Loved Ones React to Medical Cannabis
Starting your journey with medical cannabis treatment can be daunting, especially if it’s not something you’ve tried before. Many people are hesitant, not because they doubt the efficacy of the medication, but because of the social stigma which can come with it.
Sharing patient voices: My life with medical cannabis
To those looking for inspiration, we hope these testimonial snippets offer the encouragement you need to explore alternative options. Hallmark - take note - some of these stories are truly Oscar worthy!
How to decide if medical cannabis is right for your condition
Patients in the UK have been able to access legal, regulated medical cannabis products for almost six years. Since the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2018, tens of thousands of patients have experienced the benefits of this incredible plant and its derivatives. But how do you know if medical cannabis is a good option for your health condition?
Exploring the potential of medical cannabis on Tourette's Awareness Day
Today, June 7th, is International Tourette's Awareness Day. A day dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of Tourette's Syndrome (TS) and to also celebrate the strength and resilience of those who live with it.
Can medical cannabis help people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?
Yes, cannabis-based therapy options are showing huge promise in helping reduce chronic pain, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal upset, muscle spasms and stiffness, anxiety, and also the reliance on heavy (and sometimes totally ineffective) pharmaceutical options that come along with the diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).
Experts, insights, and experiences: Medical cannabis and mental health
Mental health is something that affects everyone, it’s something each individual in society has - all year round. But, this week, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Between the 13th and 19th of May, an extra effort is made to discuss the importance of mental health and how we can take care of it. And we wanted to join suit.
Understanding medical cannabis: A guide for Fibromyalgia patients
Fibromyalgia is an incurable chronic pain condition and one that can be pretty complicated to treat. It affects around 2 percent of the UK population, more women than men, and while it does sometimes develop in children, it is more often picked up in middle age.
Ease the Transition: How medical cannabis can help during the menopause
Menopause is a natural process characterised by the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. It is associated with a number of symptoms that can cause significant disruption to everyday life. Yet, despite perimenopause and postmenopause affecting approximately 13 million people in the UK, there remains a distinct lack of awareness and education about menopause, as well as access to effective therapies.
Multiple sclerosis week: Exploring cannabis-based treatments for MS
This week is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Week, where we shine a spotlight on this chronic disease that affects more than 130,000 people in the UK (and millions worldwide), and see how the change to UK medical cannabis laws is opening up new treatment options.
How medical cannabis may help endometriosis patients
Endometriosis is estimated to affect around 10% of those with a womb between puberty and menopause, but still, effective treatments, and research into the condition itself, are severely lacking. This can, understandably, be extremely frustrating for those affected.
World Parkinson's Month: a review of medical cannabis and Parkinson’s disease
Every hour, another two people in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and while there is still no cure for the disease, there are treatments available to manage common Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, sleeping concerns, pain, and mental health concerns.
Rare conditions medical cannabis may be prescribed for in the UK
With Rare Disease Day upon us, let's take this opportunity to have a look at how certain rare health conditions may benefit from medical cannabis and how medical cannabis has already been prescribed in the UK to treat some rare conditions.
International Epilepsy Day: epilepsy's influence on medical cannabis in the UK
With International Epilepsy Day just passing us by (on the 12th of February), we decided to take a look back at how medical cannabis treatment has added to epilepsy treatment options, the role epilepsy played in essentially forcing medical cannabis to become a legal reality here in the UK, and a look forward to what the future may hold for medical cannabis and epilepsy treatment in the UK.
Sweet dreams, Sound health: Unraveling the secrets to better sleep
Earlier this month, Self Care Week was celebrated all over the UK - but we think its importance rings true all year round. That’s why we’ve launched our latest blog series: Wellness Wednesday; to take a look at alternative, natural and holistic approaches to improving our wellbeing.
Menopause Awareness Month: Shedding light on medical cannabis and the menopause
October is known as the month of falling leaves, cosy jumpers, and the start of spooky season – but, what you may not have known is that October is also World Menopause Awareness Month, with Menopause Awareness Day taking place on the 18th.
The ABCs of SCRs: Accessing your Summary Care Record
When exploring medical cannabis as a treatment option in the UK, your journey begins with an essential step: a thorough evaluation of your eligibility. Here the clinical team have to establish a comprehensive understanding of your health history, which they do by asking for permission to access your health records, or your Summary Care Record (SCR).
Rhodes to recovery: Greek study suggests medical cannabis can improve patient's quality of life
Recently, a team of researchers in Greece published the latest evidence that suggests medical cannabis can improve health related quality of life for patients living with various chronic diseases. These findings build on other studies from around the world, such as those conducted in the UK, and in Australia, which have also discovered a correlation between cannabis-based treatments and an improvement in quality of life.
From taboo to treatment: Patients reflect on 5 years of legal cannabis
Patients in the United Kingdom were elated when the Home Office announced the legalisation of medical cannabis on November 1st 2018. Approximately 20,000 patients are prescribed legal cannabis-based medicinal products, mostly flowers, five years later. I spoke to six patients to find out how they feel about the law and what real-world impact it has had on their day-to-day lives.
Itching for a new treatment? Cannabinoids show potential in psoriasis management
Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune skin condition that affects an estimated 2.1 million people in the UK, and August marks its month of awareness. This extremely prevalent dermatological issue is currently incurable, and subjects patients to uncomfortable red, itchy patches of skin that can crack and bleed, which can be very painful.
What are the qualifying conditions for a UK medical cannabis prescription?
In this article we will look at the different medical conditions and routes of access UK patients can legally obtain a medicinal cannabis prescription through. Releaf recently conducted public surveys and published a report with the data titled Say No To Pain revealing 58.5% of the British population are likely to be unaware of the current medical cannabis laws.
My cannabis journey: Nigel Burt
At forty five years old, Nigel Burt is waiting for his 23rd operation. This time to remove another section of bowel that is causing him daily discomfort and pain that he is only able to control by using medical cannabis. As a graphic designer Nigel has won awards for his work which has seen him in VR and 3D development with Samsung, Panasonic, Vodafone, Product Earth, Jordan F1, and Williams F1.
Is medical cannabis legal in the UK?
Medicinal cannabis can provide people suffering from a wide variety of conditions with the relief they need that they have not been able to get before. Despite this, many people do not know whether or not medicinal cannabis is actually legal, and many people around the country will just assume that it is illegal due to the stigma that surrounds it. In this article, we will answer questions about the legality of medicinal cannabis in the United Kingdom, as well as how you can get medical cannabis if you feel like you need it.