The price of medical cannabis in the UK: Releaf’s costs explained

When people first start to look into whether medical cannabis might be an option worth trying, often one of the first things that springs to mind is ‘how much does medical cannabis cost in the UK?’, or ‘is it in my budget?’. 

The truth is, costs vary from clinic to clinic, or from specialist to specialist, but one thing remains the same: medical cannabis is very rarely prescribed by the NHS - and so, more often than not, people are paying for it privately. 

From the price of cannabis oil, cannabis vapes, and cannabis flower, to the consultation costs with expert doctors, delivery and prescription fees, to how much medical cannabis vaporisers costs - this blog covers it all relating to Releaf. 

How much do medical cannabis treatments cost in the UK?

At Releaf, we don’t believe that your circumstances should dictate the care that you are able to receive, and so, we’re passionate about providing affordable, and accessible medical cannabis treatment plans in the UK. 

That being said, it is important to be aware of all the costs involved in prescribed cannabis treatments, and there are five main costs that contribute to medical cannabis care that we will discuss in further detail throughout this article. They are:

1. The price of quality cannabis-based medicines
2. The cost of consultations with cannabis prescribers and expert clinicians
3. The price of issuing prescriptions
4. Medication dispensing and delivery fees
5. Equipment expenses relating to medication administration

Subscription services to help you save

Because there are these five major components that contribute to prescribed cannabis care, we’ve introduced a seamless subscription service called Releaf+ to cover the service and equipment costs, and offer you a cost-effective, predictable way to manage your own treatment plan. 

While all initial consultations with cannabis doctors at Releaf cost £99.99, once enrolled patients can choose whether they want to join Releaf+ or continue as a Pay As You Go patient. 

What’s included in Releaf+?

For just £39.99 a month, the Releaf+ subscription service is inclusive of all follow-up consultations, prescriptions, dispensing and delivery fees. 

We also offer Plus member prices on all our medical cannabis flowers, so they cost only £7.99 per gram for any strain, saving patients up to 20% over the course of one year (based on a monthly prescription of 30g of cannabis flower).

To work out which plan would be best for you, or to predict how much medical cannabis costs, use our online calculation tool.

The price of medical cannabis consultations

Unlike most other pharmaceuticals, medical cannabis was prohibited in the UK for almost 100 years because of its psychoactive qualities. As a consequence, now, the majority of practising doctors in the UK are relatively inexperienced in cannabis medicine because it has only been legally available since 2018.

Only doctors listed on the General Medical Council’s Specialist Register can issue an initial prescription for cannabis-based medicines, to patients who are deemed suitable for treatment. And although there are 40,000 doctors listed on the GMC’s Specialist Register, only around 0.25% of those who can prescribe medical cannabis actually do. 

The majority of these work for private medical cannabis clinics like Releaf, although many still work for the NHS at the same time. 

At Releaf we’ve curated a perfect team of over 27 specialist medical cannabis doctors , whose expertise range across the broad spectrum of health, to ensure that we can meet a wide range of patient needs. 

How much is a Releaf consultation?

All initial consultations cost £99.99 at Releaf. 

Follow-up appointments are required every 120 days after the first two months of treatment, and are free of charge for those on Releaf+, or priced at £69.99 for those who prefer to Pay As You Go. 

These consultations last for 20-30 minutes, and take place virtually to ensure your privacy, comfort, and convenience. 

During the initial consultation, our doctors will learn more about your specific needs and, depending on their findings, will explain how medical cannabis or cannabis-based medicines may be able to benefit your condition. If appropriate, they will issue a prescription for cannabis based medicines.

Medical cannabis prescription prices

If you are looking at other clinics like Mamedica, Curaleaf, or Lyphe as well as Releaf to compare medical cannabis prescription prices in the UK, it is important to know what is actually included in that price; whether the price stated is for solely the physical issuance of a prescription, or if it includes the consultation, medication, and delivery costs as well.

At Releaf, if our specialist doctors deem medical cannabis an appropriate treatment option for you during a consultation, the cost for issuing your prescription is included in the consultation fee. 

In the months when you are not required to see a clinician, repeat prescriptions are free for patients on the Releaf+ package, and priced at £19.99 for patients who prefer to Pay As You Go. 

Delivery is free of charge for all medication orders for those on Releaf+, or priced at £4.99 per order for those not using the subscription service. 

Medical cannabis flower prices

For those on Releaf+, regardless of the strain's strength or effects, medical cannabis costs £7.99 per gram. This equates to around £227 per ounce, although all cannabis flowers are prescribed in 10 gram intervals at Releaf. 

For those not on Releaf+, medical marijuana prices start from £9.99 per gram.

Price of cannabis oil

Prescribed cannabis oil costs start at £4.50 per ml for Releaf+ members, and £4.99 per ml for those not who have not joined Releaf+

At Releaf, all medical cannabis oils are prescribed in 30ml bottles.

How much are cannabis vapes?

Medical cannabis can be prescribed in flower form which is administered using a dry herb vaporiser, but it can also be prescribed as an extract which comes pre-packaged in a 0.5ml vape cartridge. 

Our cannabis extract prices start from £74.99 per vape cartridge for those on Releaf+, or from £79.99 for those using our Pay As You Go service. 

All Releaf patients have access to the Releaf Shop, where they can purchase a range of different dry herb vaporisers, vape cartridge battery devices, or the Releaf Starter Kit. 

The Starter Kit contains a cannabis grinder, a dry-herb vapouriser and biodegradable flowersticks (which are designed for administering and dosing medical cannabis) and an airtight glass storage jar to retain your medication's quality and potency. 

Releaf’s medical cannabis pricing plans

To summarise, as follows, is a complete, comprehensive breakdown of Releaf’s medical cannabis pricing. All of our patients receive quality consultations with expert clinicians, unlimited access to a team of patient support advisors, freedom to choose from a wide range of cannabis-based medicines, tracked, discreet delivery, and their own medical cannabis card. 

By offering a comprehensive range of cannabis-based medicines at affordable prices, we give our patients the flexibility to curate their own personalised treatment plans that benefit not only their health, but also their budget. 

To discuss your options, or discover whether medical cannabis treatments may benefit the symptoms of your health condition, register your interest and fill out our quick, simple eligibility checker to get started.