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.
What health records do I need for medical cannabis?
Welcome back to our 'New Patient' blog series, where we cover all the frequently asked questions, along with treatment tips and product options for new patients interested in UK medical cannabis.
What happens after my initial consultation?
Welcome back to our 'New Patient' series, where we answer all the more frequently asked questions that prospective (and newly signed up) Releaf patients often have. In today's write-up, we will quickly explore what happens directly after you have your initial consultation with one of our world-class clinical team.
How to use the Flowerstick Home Fill System
With a large proportion of Releaf patients choosing the Omura Vaporiser to "heat, not burn" their prescribed medical cannabis flower options, we thought it was about time to quickly discuss how to use the Flowerstick Home Fill System.
When I join Releaf, will my GP find out?
Even though medical cannabis has been a full legal treatment option here in the UK since 1 November 2018, there is still a level of stigma surrounding it. It is anything but a surprise that some patients are worried about how their decision to pursue a medical cannabis prescription may affect their relationship with their general practitioner (GP).
What is a cannabinoid?
Starting any new treatment option can be slightly daunting, but this is especially true when it comes to medical cannabis. Thanks to the more than century-long campaign of cannabis prohibition and stigmatisation, there is still an undercurrent of misinformation and misunderstanding around this fascinating plant and its potential therapeutic benefits - even though it has been a legal treatment option here in the UK for almost six years.
What should I do if my medication isn't working for me?
Medical cannabis treatment and finding the perfect combination of cultivar (or oil) and dosage sizing is, at least in some respect, an individualised process. Some patients find the level of symptom management they are hoping for straight away, but for others, it can take a little bit of experimentation to find the balance that works best for them.
15 FAQs for medical cannabis beginners
To mark our 16th instalment, we thought we would run through all the previously answered questions in one easy-to-read list. Think of this blog as your ‘cheat sheet’ to the most pressing questions new medical cannabis patients usually have.
Why are different cannabis cultivars different prices?
In today's write-up, we will explain all the factors that can and do affect the price of medical cannabis cultivars. Here at Releaf, we want to ensure that our patients are well-informed about their medication options, including the pricing factors.
How long does medical cannabis take to work?
People who are considering adding medical cannabis to their treatment routine usually have a few pressing questions, which is more than understandable.
What medications interact with medical cannabis?
All medications come with the possibility of interactions with other drugs/pharmaceuticals, and medical cannabis is no exception. Continuing on with our 'New Patient' series, we dig our teeth into the often-asked question: "What medications interact with medical cannabis?"
What's in the Releaf Starter Kit?
Starting medical cannabis treatment can be somewhat overwhelming, especially for new patients who have very little experience with cannabis-based treatment products. And that's totally understandable. It's not just the medication itself that can be foreign to new patients, but also how it is administered.
What is the triage process for medical cannabis?
At Releaf, we have streamlined the triage process to ensure our patients receive the highest quality care and treatment in the shortest possible time, including prescription delivery.
How does Releaf deliver patients their prescribed medication?
Here at Releaf, we are constantly improving our processes and medical cannabis delivery service to ensure that our patients receive their prescribed medication in a timely and efficient manner, and for good reason. This isn't any old online shopping order they're waiting on. It's their medication - something that is vital to their health and wellbeing.
What are the potential long term effects of medical cannabis use?
While many of the currently available clinical studies focusing on medical cannabis have shown positive results and a high safety profile, there are still lingering concerns about the potential long-term effects of its administration.
Is there an age limit to medical cannabis?
In the UK, people of any age are eligible to receive a prescription for cannabis-based medicines, but there is a little more to the story...
Exploring the role of terpenes in medical cannabis treatments
Taking the first steps into the world of medical cannabis can be slightly overwhelming. With so many new terms to get your head around, the learning curve can feel steep. Don't worry, though - here in our continued "New Patient" guide, we've got you covered.
What is the endocannabinoid system?
Welcome back to our New Patient blog series, where we cover all the basics of cannabis-based therapy. In this instalment, we are running head first into the intricacies of the endocannabinoid system, or ECS.
What is the difference between THC and CBD?
Next up in our new patient series, we are going to take a brief but in-depth look at how the cannabinoids that dominate the cannabis-based medicine scene, THC and CBD, differ from one another, and how they can also work in harmony to provide relief for a range of medical conditions.
Will medical cannabis get me 'high'?
Next up in our "New Patients" series, we explore the very first question that pops into almost all prospective patients' minds - "Will cannabis-based treatment options get me ‘high’?"
What is the difference between medical cannabis and recreational weed?
With the introduction of legal medical cannabis in November 2018, here in the UK one question on the lips of many is: "What exactly is the difference between medical cannabis and recreational weed?". And a valid question it is!