While medical cannabis is not a treatment or cure for any form of cancer, it may help some patients deal with a range of the symptoms of cancer. Medical cannabis for cancer pain can now be considered alongside conventional treatment options in the UK, especially when established pain-management approaches have not offered a cancer patient the level of pain relief needed or have caused difficult side effects.
Releaf’s Medical Director, Dr Sue Clenton is a specialist oncologist, and is available to provide Releaf patients clinical care and oversight for all cancer-related symptoms, including cancer related pain. The specialists, GPs, and nursing staff that make up Releaf’s world-class clinical team assess each patient individually, to ensure all health needs and goals are considered before any recommendation is offered.
#1
Chronic pain issues are the most common reason Releaf patients seek medical cannabis treatment, with 792 of 1,669 respondents to our 2025 patient survey being treated for chronic pain
92.2%
of the Releaf patients prescribed medical cannabis for pain issues rated their treatment as effective for managing their symptoms (Releaf survey 2025)
55%
of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK experience pain, according to Cancer Research UK
45%
of advanced-stage cancer patients in a 2022 US palliative-care study reported needing fewer opioids while taking medical cannabis
Symptoms
Anxiety
Depression
Excessive tiredness
Fatigue
Heavy night sweats
Unexplained or abnormal bleeding / Bruising
Unexplained pain
Unintentional weight loss
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Please speak with your GP to find out more.
Treatment options:
Because there are so many different types of cancer, there are also a large number of different medications, and drug combinations, that can be prescribed to treat cancer. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are commonly used, but patients may also receive hormone therapy, targeted cancer drugs, immunotherapy drugs or painkillers to treat and manage their symptoms.
Buprenorphine
Codeine
Dihydrocodeine
Fentanyl
Morphine
Oxycodone
Phosphate
Tramadol
Whether you’re new to cannabis-based medicines, switching from another medical cannabis clinic, or self-medicating, we’ll put you back in control of your health.
Condition Peripheral Neuropathy
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"Cancer pain can be difficult to treat but can be helped by using medical cannabis. This is because cannabis interacts with the endocannabinoid system and can alter pain perception. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and muscle relaxation properties which can all help to reduce the pain associated with this disease. Cancer pain can also be very emotionally distressing and cannabis can help improve mood too."
Dr Sue Clenton
Oncology
25. 08. 2023
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Yes, medical cannabis treatment may help certain patients suffering from cancer pain (and other symptoms) lessen the impact of that chronic pain, especially in situations where established conventional pain relief options have failed to bring the relief needed, or caused heavy side effects.
Medical cannabis for cancer pain and the range of other symptoms it may help reduce is a not first line treatment option and should never be promoted as a direct replacement for traditional oncology care. It can be legally prescribed to certain patients alongside traditional approaches to help manage cancer symptoms, including pain, nausea, disrupted sleep, appetite loss, and other symptoms (or side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy) that can affect day-to-day quality of life.
Cancer related pain is not one single experience shared across all cancer patients. Some will not experience any pain at all, while others suffer with chronic pain throughout their cancer treatment journey. It can be caused by the cancer itself, including pressure on nerves, bones or organs, or by treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy
The type of pain, the location of it, and also the severity can and do vary considerably, which is why every prospective Releaf patient is assessed individually by our world-class clinical team.
No. Medical cannabis for cancer is not a treatment or cure for the cancer itself. It may be prescribed to eligible patients in certain circumstances, but it is not a first line treatment option, and it should never be promoted as a treatment or cure for cancer. There is no research to suggest it can replace surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy or any other treatment recommended by your oncology team.
Cancer is an insidious disease, one that can leave you feeling stripped of all hope. That can, quite understandably, lead you to start to search the back channels of the internet, especially when terms like cannabis for cancer, cannabis treatment for cancer, hash oil for cancer or medical marijuana for cancer are searched. There you may land on certain claims that go far beyond the actual evidence we currently have for cannabis cancer treatment in humans.
Most of these claims are based on laboratory and animal studies involving cannabinoids and cancer cells. These studies cannot show that cannabis treats cancer in humans, and should not be interpreted as evidence of a cure.
Cancer Research UK, our leading cancer research body, is very clear in what it says and what it does not - the research currently completed and available does not tell us whether cannabinoids can treat cancer in people. Its cannabis and CBD oil guidance also explains why anyone affected by cancer should be cautious of unregulated products and cure claims online.
In the UK, medical cannabis can be prescribed to cancer patients to help them manage the symptoms of the disease, and the heavy side effects some patients have to go through during chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other traditional approaches.
To learn more, head to “Medical cannabis and cancer: an updated guide for UK patients”.
Medical cannabis interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a complex network involved in processes including pain signalling, sleep, mood and appetite. That said, it will not necessarily help every single cancer patient deal with their cancer related pain.
Some cancer patients, and many of the patients currently prescribed Releaf medical cannabis for chronic pain issues, report that their medical cannabis treatment is extremely effective in treating chronic pain.
In our October 2025 survey, the largest survey of active medical cannabis patients in the UK, the 792 chronic pain respondents reported:
92.2% found their treatment effective for managing their symptoms.
96.2% reported an improvement in their overall quality of life.
85.9% said treatment helped them better manage everyday tasks and responsibilities.
This may be particularly relevant where pain has a neuropathic element, meaning it is linked to damaged or irritated nerves. Cancer itself, surgery and some chemotherapy medicines can all contribute to nerve pain, but medical cannabis for neuropathic pain is showing great promise as well.
Potentially, for some patients. Registry and observational data currently available shows that when medical cannabis is offered, there are sometimes very noticeable reductions in medication use, including opioid use, for some patients taking prescribed cannabis alongside standard care.
One US palliative-care study involving 184 patients with advanced-stage cancer found that 45% reported needing fewer opioids while using medical cannabis
Another study, this time from 2023 and based in Canada, followed a total of 358 cancer patients prescribed medical cannabis over a 12-month period. Pain scores, along with overall medication needs and morphine-equivalent opioids usage, all dropped significantly for many of the study participants
A 2024 hospice study of 66 inpatients receiving both medical cannabis and scheduled opioids found that there was a lowering in pain across the group, and that opioid doses trended down.
Quite a few, along with the side effects of some of the conventional treatment options. Medical cannabis is not appropriate for all cancer symptoms and side effects, but for some patients, it may help with the following:
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Cancer-related symptom or side effect |
How medical cannabis may support symptom management |
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Cannabinoid medicines may be considered when standard anti-sickness medicines have not provided enough relief. |
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Appetite loss and weight change |
May help some patients with reduced appetite, but does not treat cachexia or replace nutritional support, dietetic advice or cancer care. |
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Some patients report improved sleep, either directly or because symptoms such as pain, nausea or anxiety feel more manageable. |
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Anxiety and low mood |
A cancer diagnosis and treatment can be emotionally demanding. Medical cannabis may be considered for some patients, but responses vary and it is not suitable for everyone. |
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Treatment-related nerve pain |
Cancer, surgery and some chemotherapy medicines can affect nerves. Medical cannabis may be considered as an additional option where neuropathic pain remains difficult to manage. |
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Fatigue |
Medical cannabis does not directly treat cancer-related fatigue. However, easing other disruptive symptoms may help some people cope better day to day. |
THC and CBD, the two major cannabinoids produced by Cannabis sativa L. plants, work in totally different ways.
THC interacts with both cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, but has a stronger binding effect with CB1 receptors in the brain and central nervous system. This is why it can produce intoxicating effects, but may also be relevant to symptoms such as pain, nausea and appetite loss.
CBD, on the other hand, does not bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the same direct way and does not cause intoxication. It actually slows the breakdown of our bodily produced endocannabinoids, allowing them to interact with the receptors for longer periods, while also influencing other signalling systems involved in pain, mood and inflammation.
Medical cannabis is not 100% risk-free and can cause side effects including tiredness, dizziness, dry mouth, reduced concentration, anxiety or feeling intoxicated. It is not a suitable treatment option for all UK cancer patients, nor is it a first line treatment option.
It also has the ability to interact with other medicines, especially when it is taken orally. If you are receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone treatment or other cancer drugs, tell your oncologist, cancer nurse specialist and prescribing clinician about every medicine, supplement and cannabis product you use or are considering.
If you would like to learn more about whether medical cannabis for cancer pain may be the right treatment option for you, head straight to our fast and free medical cannabis eligibility checker.
It takes all of 30 seconds to complete, comes with zero obligations to go any further whatever the outcome, and will give you a clear answer whether you may be an eligible candidate for UK medical cannabis treatment with the most trusted UK medical cannabis clinic, Releaf.
