General
Discover general insights on medical cannabis, including benefits, usage tips, research updates, and expert advice for safe and effective treatment.
Medical cannabis and bowel cancer: What you need to know
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month - a month dedicated to raising awareness around this common type of cancer and providing support and resources to those affected. Around 120 people are diagnosed with the condition - which includes both colon and rectal cancers - every day in the UK. In honour of this important awareness campaign, we’re taking a closer look at the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, conventional treatments, and how medical cannabis could be helpful for some patients.
THC talk: How much THC is too much?
Medical cannabis has been legally available and accessible in the UK since 2018. But, unlike CBD products that are available over the counter, here in the UK there is no limit for THC content in prescribed cannabis based treatments. This begs the question: how much THC is too much? And, why does this matter for patients, clinicians, and the future of cannabis-based medicine?
The science behind stress: what’s really going on in your body?
Stress isn’t just a feeling - it’s a full-body chain reaction and one that shouldn't be ignored (especially when it becomes chronic). This write-up explains what stress really is, how it affects the brain and body, and how UK medical cannabis may help regulate the system when chronic stress takes hold.
Decoding Cannabis: Introducing our new series on medical cannabis research
Each and every week, our new ‘Decoding Cannabis’ series will take a recent piece of medical cannabis research - be it a clinical trial, observational study, registry report, etc. - and unpack it in a way that’s relevant and easily understandable to UK medical cannabis patients.
A beginner’s guide to tolerance breaks
Medical cannabis treatment is becoming increasingly accepted and sought after in the UK as a growing number of patients search for safe and effective alternatives to conventional therapies. With an ever-growing patient base, education and support are key - including when it comes to taking a tolerance break from medical cannabis. So, let’s take a look at what you need to know as a current or future medical cannabis patient.
Flintshire County Council discuss protection for Welsh medical cannabis patients
Last week, Flintshire County Council became the first Welsh authority to announce they will protect those using medical cannabis from discrimination.
Medical cannabis and me: Real patient voices
Every month, we have the luxury of sitting down with real Releaf patients to hear their stories, from their struggles to their successes, to their experiences with medical cannabis
No prescription? No problem. Here’s what you’ll find in the Releaf CBD shop
The Releaf CBD store is open to anyone with an email address, a registered UK phone number, and a delivery address, and offers UK residents a new way to access the best CBD products - no UK medical cannabis prescription needed.
How regular follow-up appointments improve Releaf patient care
At Releaf, patient care and safety are at the core of everything we do. We don’t just hand you a UK medical cannabis prescription, send you on your way, and wish you well - we stay with you, check in regularly, and listen.
Healthcare history in the making: Releaf integrate with NHS Spine
Releaf has integrated with NHS Spine, allowing patients in England to instantly share their medical records via NHS login, streamlining the sign-up process for medical cannabis treatment. This milestone not only improves patient access and continuity of care but also helps normalise cannabis-based medicines within mainstream healthcare systems.
Trigeminal Neuralgia and medical cannabis: What you need to know
Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare chronic pain disorder, that causes sudden, severe facial pain. The condition is relatively rare which, as is often the case, often means the cause is not fully understood - making effective treatment difficult to achieve. In this article, we explore trigeminal neuralgia in more detail, including conventional treatments and how patients are seeking relief with medical cannabis.
World Autism Acceptance Week: Alternative options for adults with autism
To mark World Autism Acceptance Month this April, we’re exploring how cannabis-based treatments can be used to address some of the challenges autistic people face and help them better manage their daily lives.
Experts Explain: Medical cannabis advertising and promotion in the UK
This week, we sat down with Releaf’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer Rupa Shah to discuss her expert insights on the challenges, regulations, and future of medical cannabis marketing in the UK.
A break-down of Releaf's prescription process
Here at Releaf, we have taken what some private medical cannabis clinics make into a bureaucratic maze and turned it into a smooth, efficient process that gets the vast majority of new eligible patients from eligibility check to prescription delivery in just five to seven working days.
How Releaf’s approach to UK medical cannabis branding sets a new standard
Releaf clinicians can prescribe from a carefully curated range of medical cannabis flower and medical cannabis oil products. While Releaf does not have control over the branding of a portion of the medicines we source from international medical cannabis suppliers, we have worked tirelessly to make sure that our branding, packaging, and external product selection aligns with UK medical standards.
How to refer a friend to Releaf
With medical cannabis finally becoming a mainstream talking point throughout both the UK public and Parliament (the most recent debate happened just last month), the weight of a century’s worth of stigma and misinformation is slowly beginning to lift.
Finding joy in the everyday: Holistic approaches to happiness
In today’s busy world, we are constantly exposed to the highlights and ‘best bits’ of other people’s lives, it can be easy to think of happiness as a final destination. But this International Day of Happiness, we want to get back to basics. It’s time to re-focus on the simple things that have the potential to bring us joy and happiness every day. In this spirit, we’re exploring the importance of a holistic approach to our physical and mental health, well-being, and of course, happiness.
Medical cannabis as complementary therapy: A holistic approach to care
National Complementary Therapy Week takes place between the 20th and 26th of March every year to build awareness for adjunctive or complimentary treatments, and holistic approaches to care.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week: Adults with ADHD share their medical cannabis experiences
With rates of ADHD diagnosis on the rise in the UK, in honour of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we’re celebrating Releaf patients who have opened up about their ADHD and how they found improved quality of life through medical cannabis.
Beyond the prescription: Simple steps to enhance your bedtime routine with medical cannabis
It’s World Sleep Day 2025 - a day dedicated to promoting sleep health. In honour of this important date, we’re taking a look at how medical cannabis patients can best enhance their sleep routine - and potentially their treatment - with an effective dosing regime.
Can I get a weekend medical cannabis appointment?
Since opening our doors back in February of 2024, we have worked tirelessly to put together a truly world-class clinical team made up of over 25 highly trained doctors, supported by a unit of nurses, prescribing pharmacists, and patient support staff. They’re here to support you every day of the week.
The Impact of Smoking on Chronic Health Conditions: Why Quitting Matters
These days, we are all well aware of the health implications of smoking tobacco. As a result, smoking rates have been consistently on the decline in recent decades. But for many, quitting smoking is easier said than done - and for those with chronic health conditions, this could pose an even more pressing concern. In honour of No Smoking Day 2025, we’re taking a closer look at how smoking impacts chronic conditions such as chronic pain, neurological disorders, and mental health.
What to expect in your first six months as a UK medical cannabis patient
The first six months of any new treatment regime come with a mix of queries, adjustments, milestones, and sometimes, a couple of small roadblocks. But for most patients just starting down the path towards better health with UK medical cannabis (where the treatment option has been so heavily stigmatised for far too long) the learning curve can feel a bit steeper. We’ll cover it all to make sure you feel comfortable and confident during your first few months as a Releaf medical cannabis patient.
Accelerate Action: Medical cannabis for women's health
This Saturday the world will once again observe International Women’s Day, an annual celebration of the achievements of women and girls around the world. But while we might have come a long way in improving equality, women continue to face disparities in many areas of life, including healthcare.