New Patient
A guide for new medical cannabis patients, covering frequently asked questions, treatment tips, product options, and everything needed to start confidently.
How to request a travel certificate for medical cannabis
The last thing that any of us want when travelling is extra stress. Everyone should have the freedom to feel safe and secure when travelling, no matter what their medical needs may be. Unfortunately, though, this isn't always seamless for medical cannabis patients.
Top tips for vaping cannabis
For patients just starting cannabis-based treatment, the idea of vaping their prescribed medical cannabis flower may seem intimidating, overwhelming, or even slightly weird. Fair enough - we know that vaping is a pretty new concept for most patients.
Is my medical cannabis Indica or Sativa?
Starting medical cannabis treatment can feel like learning a new language. Not only is it fairly different to your standard pharmaceuticals, which most of us have grown up around and almost inherently understand, but medical cannabis treatment comes with its own terminology that can feel overwhelming at first.
Is medical cannabis safe?
In today's continuation of our New Patient series, we'll take a quick but deep look at a burning question on the minds of many - "Is medical cannabis safe?" Yes, medical cannabis is safe, but let's dig a little deeper and see what the science has to say.
What should I look for in a product, so I know it’s safe?
The UK medical cannabis sector is one of the safest and most highly regulated in the world. This is thanks to the strict procedures and guidelines put in place by regulatory bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Quality Care Commission (CQC), and NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). These organisations ensure that the medical cannabis products available to UK patients are safe, effective, and high quality.
How to store medical cannabis properly
Storing most medications correctly is essential to not only the shelf life but also the overall efficacy. This is (debatably) even more important when it comes to dried medical cannabis flower, as it is an organic product, unlike most conventional pharmaceuticals.
What are the most common side effects of medical cannabis?
While cannabis-based treatment options have been shown to offer patients a very favourable safety profile with a wide range of therapeutic benefits - like almost all medical options, there are side effects to consider.
How strong is medical cannabis flower?
When we discuss the 'strength' (or potency) of a given medical cannabis cultivar, it is easy to fall into the trap of simply looking at the THC levels. This is only one part of the picture - but a crucial one, nonetheless.
How do I access my medical cannabis consultation?
Becoming a Releaf medical cannabis patient and accessing your medical cannabis consultations is easy, and the entire process can be done from the comfort of your own home.
Navigating Releaf's New Patient Portal
Last week, we launched our brand new, built-from-the-ground-up Releaf Patient Portal. We have invested over £2 million into this bespoke piece of tech, and it's been a long time in the making.
How often should I see my doctor?
Medical cannabis treatment is quite an individual process, which means there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how often you should see your doctor. Each and every patient we see here at Releaf responds at least slightly differently to their treatment protocol. This is the main reason our world-class clinical team takes such a personalised approach to each patient's care and why it is essential that all patients see their doctor regularly.
How to take Releaf medical cannabis flower and oil
Just started medical cannabis treatment with Releaf? A little confused about what is the most effective way to take your Releaf medical cannabis flower or oil?
What is the difference between medical cannabis and CBD?
CBD is a cannabinoid sourced from cannabis and hemp plants. CBD products that contain less than 1 mg of THC (the psychoactive cannabinoid) per container are legal for over-the-counter sale. Prescribed cannabis-based medicines can contain the same levels of CBD but are legally allowed to contain higher levels of THC.
What you need to know about medical cannabis delivery
Here at Releaf, we understand that getting your medication quickly, safely, discreetly, and tracked from dispatch to delivery is one of the most important aspects of every patient's medical cannabis treatment journey.
What's in medical cannabis oil?
At Releaf, we prescribe two main formulations of cannabis-based medicines to our patients - medical cannabis flower and medical cannabis oil. Most people have a fair understanding of medical cannabis flower, but medical cannabis oil is still somewhat of an enigma to many.
Do I have to tell my employer that I am a medical cannabis patient?
One thing that almost every new patient asks us here at Releaf is: "Do I have to tell my employer that I am a medical cannabis patient?" The short answer is 'no', but there is a little more to it than that.
Why Releaf patients aren't given a 'medical cannabis menu'
Why don’t we let patients choose their cannabis medicine from a menu? It’s a question that new patients sometimes ask, and it’s worth unpacking.
Getting your head around medical cannabis accessories
With UK medical cannabis going nothing short of viral in the past 12 months or so (and patient numbers climbing at an exponential rate), the need for clear, concise information regarding medical cannabis accessories has never been more obvious.
Planning a Winter retreat? What you need to know about travelling with medical cannabis
The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it, the yearly yearning to pack your bags, hit the road and hopefully escape the winter blues.
Medical cannabis titration What new patients need to know
Finding the right dose of THC and CBD (and other cannabinoids) isn't always as straightforward as some patients would like it to be. Everyone reacts at least slightly differently to medical cannabis flower and oil options, and finding the most effective dose can involve some trial and error.
How does cannabis oil work in the body?
Here at Releaf, medical cannabis oil is the second most commonly prescribed cannabis-based medication, right after medical cannabis flower - so to continue our 'New Patient' blog series, we are focusing on all things medical cannabis oil.
How to clean a grinder
Medical cannabis flower is the most commonly prescribed cannabis-based medication here in the UK. But unlike most treatment options, both traditional and alternative, it is not delivered to patients in a fully 'ready-to-administer' form.
What temperature should I vape my medical cannabis flower?
Medical cannabis flower is the most prescribed CBPM in the UK, and it is intended to be administered through a dry herb vaporiser.
How to take medical cannabis oil
Today, we continue our 'New Patient' blog series in the same vein, but this time, we'll give a brief (but in-depth) overview of how medical cannabis is taken and why sublingual administration is the most commonly prescribed method.