Skip to main content
Consultations now £9.99 (was £99.99) → Am I eligible?
Questions? Search our guides & videos
Risk free! See our Money-back eligibility guarantee
Over 240,000 people in the Releaf community!
Are you eligible? Find out in 20 seconds!
Blog
Medical Cannabis

Medical Cannabis

Explore UK-focused medical cannabis articles, including legal updates, patient experiences, treatment options, and the latest research within the British cannabis landscape.

Articles

The treatment option 1.77 million Brits source illegally: UK’s legal medical cannabis access gap explained

A recent paper clearly highlights the huge gap between how many adults in the UK rely on illicit cannabis to help control the symptoms of their health conditions, compared to the numberlegally prescribed. An estimated 1.77 million UK adults still self-medicate with street-bought cannabis, with only around 100,000 having a legal UK medical cannabis prescription right now, despite medical cannabis being a fully legal treatment option since November 2018.

8 min read
07.07.2026
Sam North

Pride, PTSD, and plant-based approaches

Each year in June, LGBTQ+ Pride events take place around the world. These events offer an opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, honour their contributions, and recognise the ongoing struggle for equality. But June also marks PTSD Awareness Month and, as these two important events coincide, it is important to recognise the increased rates of PTSD among LGBTQ+ individuals, understand the reasons behind this, and improve awareness of available treatment options.

10 min read
24.06.2026
Sam North

Decoding Cannabis: Over the limit, but not impaired? What the science shows

The UK (and many other countries) sets its drug-driving THC limit at 2 µg/L of blood, but is that a measure of impairment, or just detection? A 2026 simulator study found frequent cannabis users were no more impaired than non-users 12 to 15 hours after smoking, despite still exceeding that threshold. We decode what the research really shows, and why it is relevant for medical cannabis patients who are worried about getting behind the wheel.

8 min read
11.06.2026
Sam North

The ripple effect: medical cannabis: another tool to support patients and carers

This Carers Week, we are thinking about all the people across the UK who help care for someone in need. Proper treatment that delivers the best clinical outcomes is often about far more than a single option, but rather a range of choices that fit the patient. For an increasing number of patients in the UK, medical cannabis is another tool that helps, and when it does, the people supporting them can feel the difference too. We surveyed 1,669 Releaf patients, and their answers point to a benefit that reaches beyond the patient alone.

5 min read
16.06.2026
Sam North

Men's health and medical cannabis: the numbers and the men behind them

We all know the stereotype: men don't discuss their wellbeing, and often struggle to ask for help. This is even more true when it comes to mental health issues. This Men's Health Week, we are flipping it. Drawing on what 1,118 male patients told us about medical cannabis, plus the first-hand stories of four of them, we look at what happens when men stop putting it off and actually do something about how they feel.

10 min read
10.06.2026
Sam North

What 24 cancer patients told us about medical cannabis for symptom relief: findings from Releaf's 2025 UK patient survey

Releaf's 2025 UK Medical Cannabis Patient Survey is the largest survey of active UK medical cannabis patients ever conducted. Of the 1,669 respondents, 24 selected cancer-related as their primary condition category. All 24 reported an improvement in quality of life, 83.3% rated their treatment extremely, very, or moderately effective, 83.3% experienced no side effects, and 95.8% would recommend medical cannabis to others. Here is what these patients told us about managing their symptoms alongside conventional oncology care.

7 min read
03.06.2026
Sam North

Decoding Cannabis: what the first placebo-controlled cannabis migraine trial means for patients in 2026

The first randomised, placebo-controlled trial of vaporised cannabis for migraine attacks has finally been published. Researchers at UC San Diego compared THC, CBD, a balanced combination, and placebo across 247 treated migraines. The balanced ratio came out clearly ahead, with sustained benefit at 24 and 48 hours and no serious adverse events. We unpack what the trial proves, where it falls short, and how the results sit alongside Releaf's UK patient survey data on medical cannabis for migraine.

8 min read
26.05.2026
Sam North

International Nurses Day 2026: What role do medical cannabis nurses play in patient care?

International Nurses Day 2026 allows us to celebrate the incredible efforts nurses make to ensure patients feel supported throughout their treatment journey. In this article, we explore how Releaf’s medical cannabis nurses offer personalised follow-up care and practical guidance to help patients feel more confident after receiving their prescription.

9 min read
12.05.2026
Patrick Bawn

World Parkinson's Day 2026: A detailed look at medical cannabis and Parkinson’s disease

The relationship between medical cannabis and Parkinson’s disease is a growing area of clinical interest, with more and more papers exploring its potential impact on symptoms like sleep disorders, anxiety, pain and tremors. In support of World Parkinson’s Day, this guide takes a detailed look at what recent clinical research tells us about cannabis-based treatment options for Parkinson’s disease.

12 min read
15.04.2026
Patrick Bawn

World Health Day 2026: what WHO says about medical cannabis and science-led care

World Health Day 2026 focuses on trust in science and evidence-led care. This guide explains how WHO medical cannabis policy has evolved, what its 2018 review found, and how those changes shape UK law and patient access today. It also covers what this means in practice if you are considering treatment through a regulated clinical pathway.

6 min read
07.04.2026
Sam North

How to read prescription instructions and medication labels

Prescription labels can be confusing, especially when they include abbreviations like OD or PRN. This guide outlines common instructions to help you take medication correctly and understand the key terms on your prescription.

15 min read
27.03.2026
Emily Ledger

Why Releaf is the most trusted medical cannabis clinic in the UK in 2026

Releaf is the most trusted medical cannabis clinic in the UK based on Trustpilot data, with over 7,025 reviews and a 4.8 rating. This 2026 update explains how Releaf compares to other major UK medical cannabis clinics, including Alternaleaf, Mamedica, Curaleaf, CB1 Medical, and why Releaf has been the most trusted medical cannabis clinic in the UK for more than 18 months (based on Trustpilot reviews).

7 min read
01.05.2026
Sam North

Medical cannabis for anxiety and mental health: is the evidence being misinterpreted?

Recent mainstream media coverage has suggested there is no evidence medical cannabis helps mental health conditions, but that conclusion depends on how the data is interpreted. This article reviews clinical research alongside UK patient outcomes across anxiety, depression, and PTSD to show what the evidence actually says and where conclusions are simply too narrow.

12 min read
19.03.2026
Sam North

Travel Tuesday: Navigating US travel as a medical cannabis patient

The United States is a patchwork of legislation, with each state permitted to make its own laws on certain issues. While the US is often considered to be more progressive when it comes to cannabis policy, differences between state and federal-level laws can make things less straightforward than you might expect. So, we’re covering what you need to know when travelling to the US as a medical cannabis patient.

11 min read
17.03.2026
Emily Ledger

Why smoking medical cannabis is harmful (and illegal) in 2026: expert medical advice

Smoking prescribed medical cannabis is not permitted in the UK. Instead, patients are instructed to administer their medication using medical vaporisers or alternative formats such as oils. In this expert interview, Releaf doctor Dr Alexander Van Heerden explains why combustion undermines treatment goals, how vaporisation changes dosing and inhalation dynamics, and what patients should know when transitioning from smoking to vaporised cannabinoids.

13 min read
11.03.2026
Sam North