9 min read
Patrick Bawn
Whether you’re planning a summer getaway or a winter break, you may be wondering what’s involved when travelling abroad with your prescribed medical cannabis. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Key takeaways
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Travelling can be stressful at the best of times. And if you’re prescribed medical cannabis, there’s an extra thing to think about: your medication.With a bit of planning, though, many patients can travel with their medication.
We’ve put together this guide to the dos and don’ts of travelling abroad with medical cannabis from the UK, so you can head off with more confidence.
Please note that this information is a guide only and doesn’t constitute legal advice. Country rules change regularly, so always check the current guidance for your destination, and confirm with the relevant embassy before you travel.
Before attempting to leave the country with medical cannabis, it's important to get organised.
Here are some top tips to consider before you set off on your travels, based on the latest advice from GOV.UK and the Cannabis Industry Council’s ‘Travelling with Medical Cannabis’ guidelines.
Before you set off on your travels, it's important to:
In the UK, medical cannabis is a controlled drug, and it isn’t a legal treatment option in every country. So, to avoid ending up in hot water instead of hot weather, check the rules for your destination before you book.
Taking medical cannabis into a country where it isn’t permitted, or without any authorisation that’s required, can lead to your medication being confiscated, or even to arrest and prosecution in some countries.
So, to stay safe, it's imperative to do your research surrounding the legal status of your prescribed controlled medication, cannabis-based or not, when travelling abroad.
A good place to start is the Destination Advice tab in the Travelling section of your Patient Dashboard, which uses a traffic-light system to show the current guidance for popular destinations. Remember to check any countries you’ll be transferring through or stopping over in along the way too.
Once you’ve checked the guidance, the next step is to contact your destination’s embassy to confirm the current requirements, especially if authorisation is needed before you travel.
A country that allows medical cannabis for its own residents doesn’t always mean you can bring your UK prescription in. For example, cannabis is legal in Canada, but taking it across the border isn’t permitted.
Some countries, such as Spain, require authorisation before you travel, so you’ll need this in place before you go. For others, it’s still worth contacting the embassy to confirm the current rules.
It's advised to contact the embassy at least a few weeks before you plan to visit. But to be on the safe side, we’d advise getting in touch as soon as possible to avoid any uncertainties.
The embassy can approve or deny your request to enter their country with medical cannabis, inform you of any other authorities you may need to contact, and advise you of the correct customs procedures upon entering their country with controlled medicines.
When you do contact the embassy, inform them of your plans to visit, including how long you plan on staying and in what region, explain your status as a medical cannabis patient, the types of medication you take, and their controlled status here in the UK.
Having your Releaf travel certificate and a copy of your prescription to hand may also be useful when speaking to the embassy, as they may ask to see these documents anyway.
Depending on the transport provider you are planning to travel with, you may also need to inform them of your plans.
Guidelines regarding the transportation of controlled drugs vary amongst airlines and railway companies, and each has different rules surrounding the possession, administration, and transportation of items like medical cannabis. So, doing your due diligence here is also advised.
Having written confirmation from the embassy, where possible, is likely to help at this stage, as is your Releaf travel certificate.
The UK government website explains that if you are travelling for fewer than three months and are carrying a supply of Schedule 2 controlled medicines (such as medical cannabis) that lasts no longer than 84 days, a personal licence to travel with these items is not required.
In other words, if you need to take more than three months’ supply, you may need to apply for a personal licence from the Home Office’s Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU). This can take at least 10 days to process, so make sure to apply as far in advance as possible.
You also shouldn’t return to the UK with more than three months’ supply of your prescribed medication.
Once all of your permissions are in place, now comes the fun part... it's time to pack!
When travelling with controlled medicines like medical cannabis, keep all your medication in its original pharmacy packaging, and make sure the prescription labels are clear, correct and show your name.
Always carry your medication in your hand luggage too, never in the hold.
According to GOV.UK, medicines containing controlled drugs must be carried in hand luggage when entering or leaving the UK, and may be taken away at the border if you can’t prove they were prescribed to you.
Along with your prescribed medicines and medical devices or equipment, it's essential to ensure you also have a physical copy of your prescription on your person at all times when travelling. This is advised so you can easily and quickly prove that it has been prescribed to you by a qualified and certified doctor.
In addition to a physical copy of your prescription, we strongly recommend requesting a travel certificate from your prescribing clinic. While this helps confirm your medication has been legally prescribed to you, it can’t guarantee your entry into another country.
A good travel certificate should include:
At Releaf, you can request a travel certificate through the Travelling section of your Patient Dashboard.
Printed certificates take 3 working days to process, then 2 to 5 days by post, while digital certificates are ready to download once processed.
For extra peace of mind, our Releaf-branded travel certificates also include:
We also provide each of our patients with a free medical cannabis card as part of their prescription with us.
These have been designed with police support in mind, featuring a password-protected QR code that shows your personal details and allows the authorities to verify your prescription should you ever get stopped or questioned about it.
Planning ahead is key when travelling as a medical cannabis patient. In short: make sure to check the rules for your destination, get any authorisation that’s required and make sure you have the right documents with you.
If you’re ever unsure, our support team is always on hand to help.
While this process might seem daunting, following the dos and don'ts outlined here can help you travel with confidence and ensure your medical needs are met, without compromising on your holiday experience.
Safe travels!
In the UK, holding a medical cannabis card is not a legal requirement for patients prescribed cannabis-based medicines. Releaf offers all patients a medical cannabis card to help them easily verify their prescription status if questioned by law enforcement or other authorities.
Yes, airport scanners can detect organic material, including plant matter and oil, so you should expect any medical cannabis flower, medical cannabis oil, or CBD oil to be detectable.
If you’re travelling to a destination that permits patients to carry their medical cannabis, having a copy of your prescription, your Releaf travel certificate and your medical cannabis card with you can help the security process run more smoothly.
If you know you’re going away, it’s always best to plan ahead to make sure you take enough medication with you for your whole trip, as we can’t deliver to addresses outside the UK.
If you think you might run short, make sure to reorder your prescription within your monthly allowance before you go, or speak to our support team for further advice.
Please note that this information is a guide only and doesn’t constitute legal advice. Country rules change regularly, so always check the current guidance for your destination, and confirm with the relevant embassy before you travel.
It is important to seek medical advice before starting any new treatments. The patient advisors at Releaf are available to provide expert advice and support. Alternatively, click here to book a consultation with one of our specialist doctors.
As of 12 August 2026, Releaf has the highest Trustpilot score, 4.8 from 9,598 reviews. Curaleaf received an overall CQC rating of ‘Good’, Alternaleaf advertises appointments for £29, while Mamedica's £200 Access Scheme is designed to potentially reduce long-term clinic costs. The right clinic for you will depend on what you value most from a clinic, but comparing the full treatment experience, rather than a single headline figure, is essential.
On the 7th July 2026, Releaf became the first medical cannabis clinic in the world to become B Corp certified. Verified by the non-profit B Lab, the certification sets in stone that Releaf is meeting the highest standard of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, and has made a commitment to continue improving the way we serve not only our patients, but also our team, and the wider community.
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"Since starting my treatment plan with Releaf, I’m genuinely shocked at how well it has worked."Chloe Durrington, Releaf patient
