What does the UK’s largest medical cannabis patient survey reveal about neurological conditions?
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Area
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Key finding
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What it shows
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Effectiveness
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91.1% report treatment as effective
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Strong real-world symptom relief
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Quality of life
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95.5% report improvement
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Meaningful day-to-day impact
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Conditions
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ADHD, neuropathic pain, MS, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, autism, peripheral neuropathy, motor neurone disease, Tourette's syndrome
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Broad neurological applicability
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Confidence and stigma
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70.1% confident outside home, 76.5% report no stigma
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Growing normalisation in the UK
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Side effects
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83.6% report none
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Generally, well tolerated under clinical care
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Dataset
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494 neurological patients (1,669 total)
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Largest UK patient dataset of its kind
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91.1% of neurological patients report prescribed medical cannabis treatment as effective
This is one of the most striking statistics from the survey. A whopping 91.1% of patients described their prescribed medical cannabis treatment as at least slightly effective, and when we look at the breakdown, the overwhelming majority sit at the higher end of the scale, with almost three quarters of all respondents reporting their treatment as either very or extremely effective.
That said, results were not identical for all patients. This is something that we see across the board with medical cannabis treatment. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to neurological condition symptom control, but the pattern is clear.
When treatment is properly guided and adjusted over time, most patients report a meaningful benefit.
Breakdown of treatment effectiveness reported by neurological patients
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Effectiveness rating
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% of patients
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Number of patients
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Extremely effective
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32.2%
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159
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Very effective
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40.3%
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199
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Moderately effective
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18.6%
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92
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Slightly effective
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4.5%
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22
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Not effective at all
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0.4%
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2
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Total effective (≥ moderate)
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91.1%
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450
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95.5% of patients report improved quality of life after starting treatment
Another extremely positive stat revealed in the survey was just how much of a beneficial impact medical cannabis treatment had on the respondent's overall quality of life. 95.5% of neurological patients reported that their quality of life had improved in some meaningful way, with nearly two thirds describing that improvement as significant.
The series of questions that dig into this stat go far beyond symptom relief alone. Respondents were asked to describe the impact that treatment had on their daily lives, including their independence, routine, and overall sense of wellbeing.
As we saw with treatment effectiveness, the degree of change was not uniform across the entire group, but the trend was very positive. For most, treatment offered not just symptom control, but also meaningful changes in how they felt and functioned daily.
Breakdown of neurological patient-reported quality of life outcomes
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Outcome
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% of patients
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Number of patients
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Significant improvement
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65.6%
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324
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Slight improvement
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30.0%
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148
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No change
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3.4%
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17
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Worsened
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0.4%
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2
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Total improved QoL
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95.5%
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472
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76.5% of patients report no stigma, while 70.1% felt confident administering treatment outside the home
Attitudes towards medical cannabis are, thankfully, starting to shift here in the UK - and that was reflected by how prescribed medical cannabis treatment was perceived and managed in everyday settings. A total of 76.5% of patients reported experiencing no stigma, reflecting growing awareness, clearer legal frameworks, and wider acceptance across the UK.
Confidence in medicating outside the home has also improved over the past seven years of medical cannabis legality in the UK, but there is still some way to go:
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70.1% felt at least somewhat confident administering treatment outside the home
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23.1% felt completely confident
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47.0% felt somewhat confident
We believe that patient support structures play an important role here. As a Releaf patient, you have access to:
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Our free UK medical cannabis card, which you can use to confirm your prescription if you are ever stopped by the authorities.
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All Releaf patients also have access to free travel certificates.
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Eligible Releaf+ patients can also access Releaf Protect, which provides 24/7 access to independent legal guidance if you ever need it.
83.6% of patients report no side effects from prescribed medical cannabis treatment
No treatment option is ever totally without the risk of side effects, but again, the findings from the survey were very reassuring (especially when compared to some of the prescribed pharmaceuticals used to manage neurological conditions).
Among the minority who did report at least one side effect, the most commonly mentioned were drowsiness, slight intoxication, and dizziness. When these issues were raised, they were managed through dose adjustments, practical advice, or changes to the treatment plan by Releaf’s world-class clinical team.
What are the limitations of this neurological patient survey?
As with any survey of this kind, it is important to keep the limitations in mind. This was not a randomised control trial conducted under clinical conditions, but a collection of self-reported patient experiences.
The findings reflect how the respondents were finding their prescribed Releaf medical cannabis treatment time when they completed the survey, with responses capturing a range of patient experiences, from those early in treatment to those with longer-term prescriptions.
While the results highlight strong associations between treatment and positive outcomes, we cannot say with certainty that one directly caused the other from this dataset alone.
Neurological conditions are rarely static, and factors such as lifestyle, concurrent treatments, and natural variation over time all play a role. What this survey does provide is a detailed picture of patient experience at scale, which is valuable in its own right, but it sits alongside, rather than replaces, controlled clinical research
FAQs on medical cannabis treatment for neurological conditions in the UK
Can prescribed medical cannabis treatments help neurological conditions in the UK?
Yes, at least that what the survey data points to. Medical cannabis has been a legal treatment option in the UK since November 2018. It can be prescribed for a wide range of neurological conditions,
Prescriptions can only be provided by a specialist doctor listed on the GMC specialist register. Eligibility depends on your medical history, current symptoms, and how you have responded to previous treatments.
What neurological conditions can be treated with medical cannabis?
Almost all neurological conditions cause symptoms that medical cannabis may be prescribed to help manage, particularly where issues such as chronic pain, muscle stiffness, sleep disruption, or seizures are involved.
Common examples include ADHD, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, autism, Tourette's syndrome, and Parkinson’s disease.
Are side effects common for neurological patients?
The survey showed that from the 494 survey respondents with neurological conditions, 83.6% felt zero side effects from medical cannabis treatment. Of the 16.4% who did, most were mild and well managed.
What can patients take from these findings?
What stands out here is not just the scale of the results, but how consistently patients are reporting meaningful changes in how they manage their condition.
For many, this reflects a different kind of treatment experience. One that is guided, adjusted over time, and built around how you actually respond, rather than a fixed approach that stays the same regardless of outcome.
At Releaf, this approach is supported by clinician-led care and ongoing follow-up. If you are considering treatment, you can try our medical cannabis eligibility checker. It is free, takes less than 20 seconds, and gives you a clear idea of whether you may be eligible for medical cannabis treatment in the UK.
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