General
Discover general insights on medical cannabis, including benefits, usage tips, research updates, and expert advice for safe and effective treatment.
Talking about medical cannabis as a parent
The 27th of January, wasn’t just any Saturday, it was also Parent Mental Health Day. Parent Mental Health Day is a national day of awareness dedicated to educating the public about the importance of maintaining good mental health and taking care of your own wellbeing, whilst being a parent or caregiver. This year’s theme is ‘creating positive relationships’, and so, we thought it would be fitting to explore how to approach the subject of medical cannabis with your children.
What is the entourage effect?
The entourage effect is a well-known theory in medical cannabis and CBD landscapes. This theory suggests that when cannabis compounds are consumed together, they compliment each other's individual characteristics, and work together synergistically to have the most enhanced effect, or beneficial result, on the body.
International Day of Education: Medical cannabis
As well as being World Dementia Day, this Wednesday is the International Day of Education. Held every year on the 24th of January, International Day of Education was implemented by the United Nations back in December 2018, just one month after the UK legalised medical cannabis.
Veganuary: How to have complete protein in a vegan diet
In this week’s Wellness Wednesday, Releaf takes a look into the annual vegan awareness month Veganuary to learn why people do it, the benefits and risks, how to replace your protein sources to ensure you get the complete selection and consider other important health aspects of the diet like adding in supplements.
Can I get medical cannabis from my GP?
No, GPs are currently unable to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicine in the UK. Only specialist doctors registered with the General Medical Council can legally prescribe, and only through a private clinic.
MPs' reflect on 5 years of medical cannabis prescriptions
Medical cannabis was a highly politicised topic between 2015 and 2018 when the UK Home Office finally conceded that cannabis does have medicinal properties and could no longer maintain its prohibition. The evidence was undeniable, and the science was too clear to hide any longer.
Holistic and natural approaches to staying motivated during January
When December comes to a close, a lot of us adopt a ‘new year, new me’ philosophy and are eager to set targets and new year resolutions to become the best version of ourselves. While we set our sights high, sometimes despite our best interest, the cold, dark and busy winters can feel draining, and finding the motivation to keep up momentum can be a challenge.
Irradiated medical cannabis: Everything you need to know
You may have heard the phrase "irradiated medical cannabis" and wondered what on earth that means. Why would you need to irradiate cannabis? It sounds alarming to those unfamiliar with the practice but you may have heard about it in connection with pharmaceutical preparations or medical implants (and even our food), which often pass through a sterilisation process. It's perfectly normal, and we will get to grips with it in this article.
What are medical cannabinoids?
If you’re new to the world of medical cannabis, the wide range of content and information that centres around cannabinoids, and their concentrations within your medicine, can make it feel like you’re trying to decipher another language.
The ice plunge: How cold exposure therapy can improve your health
The new year is a perfect time to set new health habits and start the way you intend for it to go on. There's no need to reinvent yourself overnight, but introducing one or two new habits that are easy to stick to can make a significant impact over the year.
A marriage of inconvenience: UK Health Secretary excluded from medical cannabis matters
In the heart of UK healthcare policy, Victoria Atkins' appointment as Health Secretary stirs controversy due to her explicit recusal from cannabis-related decisions, spotlighting the intricate dance of politics, personal interest, and the quest for equitable medical cannabis access.
Nutrition and neuroscience: Foods that feed your endocannabinoid system
Medical cannabis is showing the world that it has the power to help people get their lives back after a period of illness or due to a lifelong diagnosis. When we look at why medical cannabis has such a profound effect on so many people, we start to find there might be other ways to take advantage of the natural health-governing endocannabinoid system.
Nurturing winter wellness: Strengthening your immune system naturally
In the chill of winter, our immune system requires some extra TLC to stay strong. While vaccines offer targeted protection against individual viruses, other holistic practices and easy measures can fortify our bodies natural defences, and equip them with extra armour.
Give the gift of giving this christmas: Medical cannabis friendly charities & organisations
The spirit of giving and generosity is amplified at Christmas, and often people choose to ask their loved ones or friends to donate to a charitable cause on their behalf as opposed to buying them a gift.
Life Insurance and medical cannabis: What you need to know
Considering the increasing prevalence of medical cannabis use and cannabis-based treatments, it is unsurprising that many patients are now starting to wonder whether their use of this medication could influence life insurance policies.
Patients respond to national press over medical cannabis policing
Exploring the intersection of medical cannabis legality and UK policing, this blog delves into the challenges faced by patients due to varying police awareness, advocating for improved education and consistent enforcement to safeguard patients' rights and ensure lawful use of prescribed cannabis.
Nourish to flourish: Balancing diet in today's world
When you’re suffering from health issues, the first thing that should be considered is diet. Eating food doesn’t just stop us from feeling hungry, as I’m sure you are all aware. It was the founding father of modern medicine, Hypocrites, who said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” That quote is from around 2,400 years ago, but it still rings true today.
The CIC takes the wheel: Medical cannabis driving guidance
The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) has released guidance for medical cannabis patients to ensure that they act safely, and are treated appropriately, when behind the wheel. Distributed for free in physical leaflet format to attendees at The Patient Conference, which took place earlier this month during Medical Cannabis Awareness Week, this document states the rules and regulations that relate to medical cannabis patients and driving.
Behind the leaf: 5 (more) medical cannabis myths debunked
Releaf returns with another dose of myth-busting revelations. One of the big myths of the past was “cannabis will never be legal because they can’t patent a plant”. Well, here we are in 2023 with multiple patents for cannabis-based medicinal products and a burgeoning legal market. Let’s look at some more of the mistakes people make about medical cannabis, and hopefully, if you hear any of these in the future, you’ll feel prepared to debunk it with the evidence.
FSA slashes daily CBD intake guidance: UK industry reacts
The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland have updated their advice on the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for cannabidiol in a move that has alarmed the CBD industry. In February 2020, the FSA published advice on CBD consumption for the first time. This guidance explained that consumers should not exceed 70mg of CBD in a 24-hour period. However, this week has seen a dramatic reduction in that number, slashed to 10mg per day for healthy adults, highlighting potential long-term side effects.
The Patient Conference: ‘To Thine Own Self Be True’.
During Medical Cannabis Awareness Week, the annual Patient Conference took place on the 3rd of November at Conway Hall. We were proud to not only be in attendance, but one of the official sponsors of the event.
Grit weed in the UK: The alarming trend of contaminated street cannabis
Patients may have been made aware of recent reports that cannabis from the illicit market has been contaminated. These reports about “grit weed” have been shared across social media networks but the exact details of the adulterant are yet to be formally determined.
One for the books: European Pharmacopoeia establish a monograph for cannabis flower
It has been announced that the official cannabis flos (flower) monograph will be published in supplement 11.5 of the European Pharmacopoeia in January 2024. This will establish international quality and standards testing and identification processes for cannabis flowers, and its derived products, used in medicinal practices.
Weeding out injustices & cultivating change: CIC launch medical cannabis patient survey
On the five-year anniversary of medical cannabis legalisation in the UK, during Medical Cannabis Awareness Week, The Cannabis Industry Council launched a patient survey to further understand patients' experiences with medical cannabis.