15 min read
Kerry Charron
Chronic back pain is one of the most common reasons that patients start looking into medical cannabis, but can it actually help? And, if so, can you access it within the UK?
The short answer is yes, medical cannabis may help to alleviate the symptoms of chronic back pain. It is also legally available in the UK to eligible patients, who can receive a prescription from a specialist.
While it still isn’t seen as a first-line option for chronic back pain, it can be offered to patients as either an adjunctive or alternative treatment to long-term opioids or other conventional treatments.
Here we take a deeper look at how medical cannabis works, highlighting what the latest evidence tells us and what you need to do to check your eligibility.
Key takeaways
Contents
Chronic back pain is a common medical condition estimated to affect up to 23% of adults globally at any one time. In fact, more than 80% of adults here in the UK are reported to battle through it at some point in their lives.
With this in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that those dealing with chronic back pain issues are now seeking alternative treatment options, such as medical cannabis.
Patients who do experience chronic pain will often find themselves being offered opioid-based painkillers to find relief, or even considering surgery.
But thanks to sweeping reforms in the UK back in 2018, medical cannabis is now available as a potential alternative or adjunctive option to take alongside their existing medication.
Diagnosing chronic back pain is anything but straightforward, as there is often a wide range of potential underlying causes at play.
From muscular strains to poor posture to heavy lifting-related injuries, undergoing a chronic back pain assessment is essential to understanding the root cause at hand. That way, medical specialists can more easily identify which potential treatment options may help to relieve your symptoms.
Doctors employ various methods to do this. For instance, they will often start by taking a detailed medical history, asking questions like:
When did the pain start?
Do you have a family history of back pain?
What symptoms are you experiencing?
How is the pain affecting your day-to-day life?
Following this, you might have a physical examination performed to assess the pain, before various imaging and blood tests. These will generally include diagnostic tests like:
X-rays
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Computerised axial tomography (CAT)
Electrophysiological tests
Bone scans
Using all the information these tests provide, your doctor can then identify the best type of treatment to ease your symptoms and, ultimately, improve your quality of life.
There are a wide variety of conventional treatments available for chronic back pain, and you may be recommended to try several at the same time to work out which works best for you.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the main types of treatments you may be recommended.
|
Treatment category |
Related treatment options |
|
Non-pharmacological |
|
|
Pharmaceutical treatments |
|
|
Surgical interventions |
Considered only in specific cases, such as a slipped disc, where other treatments have been unable to offer relief |
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating chronic back pain, so different options will work more effectively in some patients than others.
The key is to work with your medical specialist to identify the right treatment plan for your specific needs.
Medical cannabis therapy for back pain is now a real option for UK patients, and there is more and more research starting to back it up.
In fact, a growing body of clinical studies is now showing medical cannabis has the potential to help patients find chronic pain relief without resorting to other forms of medication, including opiates or pain relievers.
Generally speaking, medical cannabis may help patients with chronic back pain to:
reduce the overall intensity of pain
decrease inflammation
reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
improve sleep quality.
relieve feelings of nausea
decrease their dependence on opioid pain relievers
improve overall quality of life
For a long time, studies into medical cannabis and back pain were fairly thin, with researchers mainly looking at chronic pain more broadly than back pain specifically.
But recent clinical evidence is starting to change that, helping us understand how medical cannabis may help to alleviate symptoms in certain eligible patients.
Back in 2025, for example, a large phase 3 clinical trial was published in Nature Medicine and became the first high-quality study to directly assess the impact of cannabis on chronic lower back pain.
During the trial, 820 adult patients were given either a placebo (426 patients) or a full-spectrum cannabis extract called VER-01 (394 patients) and then analysed over an initial 12-week study period.
The results proved promising. Over the first 12 weeks, patients in the cannabis group reported a notable decrease in pain symptoms compared to the placebo. That improvement continued over the following months, with VER-01 patients reporting other significant benefits in terms of sleep and physical function as well.
There were also no signs of dependence or withdrawal reported during the study either, which is interesting when compared to the well-known addictiveness of other treatments, like opioid-based painkillers.
It’s important to keep things in perspective here, though.
While recent research is encouraging, medical cannabis for back pain still needs to be made on a case-by-case basis by a specialist and may not be suitable for everyone.
That said, when looking at chronic pain more broadly in our own patients, our patient survey revealed some fascinating results when it was published last year:
92.2% reported that their prescribed medical cannabis was effective in managing their symptoms
96.2% of respondents said their day-to-day well-being had improved since starting treatment
88.8% reported experiencing no side effects, with those who did able to manage them through discussions with their clinical team
Take a look at the full breakdown of the results to find out more.
As with all forms of prescription medication, medical cannabis is associated with certain side effects and potential risks. For the vast majority of patients, these are generally only mild, but it’s important to be aware of them.
Some of the most common side effects of taking medical cannabis include:
Dry mouth
Gastrointestinal effects
Dizziness
Fatigue
Short-term memory impairment
Paranoia or panic
If you’re concerned about any of these side effects and would like to receive tailored advice, get in touch with our team and we’d be more than happy to help.
To legally access medical cannabis in the United Kingdom, you must be prescribed it by a physician who is registered to the General Medical Council Specialist Register.
This means your regular GP will be unable to prescribe medical cannabis to you themselves.
Since medical cannabis is also not currently available on the NHS for back pain, you will need to book a consultation at a private clinic to see if you’re eligible. But this is a fairly straightforward process.
The first step is to book an appointment with a CQC-regulated private clinic that offers medicinal cannabis health solutions, such as us at Releaf.
To get started with this process, head to our medical cannabis eligibility checker to complete a short questionnaire. Using this information, we will then be able to automatically assess your eligibility for medical cannabis.
This will involve checking you against our key qualifying criteria, which include:
|
Eligibility criteria |
Further details |
|
Chronic back pain diagnosis |
You will need to have been diagnosed with chronic back pain by a doctor or specialist |
|
Previous treatment use |
You will need to have tried at least two conventional treatments that have failed to provide adequate relief for your symptoms, or caused unwanted side effects |
|
Pregnancy and breastfeeding |
You will not be eligible for a medical cannabis prescription if you are either pregnant or breastfeeding |
|
Other medical diagnoses |
You will not be eligible for a medical cannabis prescription if you have psychosis, bipolar disorder or a schizophrenia diagnosis |
|
Detailed medical history |
A full review of your existing medical history will be required before your initial consultation |
If you are eligible, you’ll be able to book an initial consultation with one of our specialists, where they’ll ask you questions about your medical history, the severity of your symptoms and any current medications you’re taking.
If medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment option for your specific type of chronic back pain, you will then be able to become a Releaf patient and be given a tailored medical cannabis prescription.
You can learn more about this process in our detailed prescription process breakdown.
Unlike some other countries that have medicinal cannabis as a legal treatment option, there is no legal requirement to have a medical cannabis card for chronic back pain treatment (or any other condition) in the UK.
However, holding a medical cannabis card does offer a certain level of protection, as it shows you are legally allowed to possess and take medical cannabis.
As a Releaf patient, we will automatically provide you with a digital copy of your medical cannabis card as soon as you’re deemed eligible for treatment. We will then send you a physical copy in the post a few days later.
When administered under the supervision of a medical specialist, and as part of a wider treatment plan, medical cannabis may be beneficial to certain eligible patients with chronic back pain.
While it isn’t suitable for everyone, it may help to offer the relief you’re looking for. In fact, we regularly hear first-hand from our own patients about the difference taking it makes in their day-to-day life.
Take Ryan’s story, for instance. For years, his lower back pain had left him feeling disconnected from the outside world, with conventional treatment options either unable to relieve his symptoms or leading to certain side effects.
But since starting medical cannabis treatment with us back in 2024, he’s now able to spend much longer enjoying nature and taking his dog out on long walks.
Head on over to our dedicated patient stories page to discover more real-life insights like Ryan’s.
Alternatively, why not try our medical cannabis eligibility checker to see if you qualify for treatment yourself? It’s free, takes less than 30 seconds to complete and could be the first step towards relieving your chronic back pain.
Medical cannabis works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a complex cell-signalling network that helps regulate several bodily processes, including mood, sleep, inflammation and, importantly, pain.
The two main cannabinoids contained in cannabis, called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), interact with this system in different ways.
THC has been shown to influence how pain signals are processed, which is why it may help to alleviate the painful sensations commonly associated with chronic back pain.
CBD, on the other hand, is better known for its anti-inflammatory properties, where it may ease the inflammation that commonly causes related symptoms.
Finding the right balance of CBD and THC is important, and where having specialist guidance proves crucial.
By assessing your symptoms and medical history, your clinician can identify the best THC: CBD ratio for your specific needs, adjusting the dosage over time to find the appropriate medical cannabis strain as part of your prescription.
It is essential to consult a medical professional who specialises in medicinal cannabis treatments, such as our world-class clinical team here at Releaf.
They will be able to assess your medical history to fully understand whether your condition qualifies for medical cannabis treatment, before determining whether it’s a suitable option for your specific needs.
In almost all cases, you will need to see a specialist to get a medical cannabis prescription for chronic back pain. This is because it can only be prescribed by specialist doctors on the GMC’s Specialist Register, rather than regular GPs.
Your GP can still play an important role in supporting your overall care and providing your chosen prescribing clinic with access to your medical history. But the prescription itself will need to come from a specialist.
As with any medication or substance, there can be a psychological dependence on it, especially if you are prescribed a form of medical cannabis that is high in THC.
Medical cannabis-based products that contain high levels of CBD but no THC are normally non-addictive.
However, it’s essential to follow the recommended dosage and administration instructions provided by your prescribing physician, as they will build your prescription around your specific symptoms and tolerance level.
Currently, there is no known cure for chronic back pain. While medical cannabis has shown some promising results in managing symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic back pain, further research is still needed to confirm the relationship.
You can obtain a medical cannabis card by becoming a legal medical cannabis patient at a registered private clinic which offers medical cannabis cards to its patients.
Take a look at our dedicated medical cannabis card page to learn more about the process and the advantages that having a Releaf medical cannabis card can offer.
Having a medical cannabis card is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, but it can offer an extra layer of legal protection to patients who have been prescribed medical cannabis for their chronic back pain.
For instance, it serves as proof that you are legally registered and authorised to possess and take medical cannabis for medicinal purposes.
It also offers additional peace of mind and serves as a convenient form of identification should you ever need to prove your status as a medical cannabis patient to the police or other authorities.
No. Sciatica is a type of nerve pain caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, often affecting the lower back and one leg. It’s typically a symptom of issues like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.
However, medical cannabis may also help to alleviate the pain associated with sciatica. Take a look at our sciatica condition page to find out more.
Releaf - Redefining healthcare
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.
Back pain continues to be a prevalent issue not only here in the UK, but globally. While there is a range of both 'over-the-counter' and prescribable pharmaceuticals available, many patients are seeking natural therapeutic options that don’t cause excessive side effects or risk of dependence and can be easily added to a holistic treatment plan.
Sam North
While traditional cannabis-based medicine mainly focuses on the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids (mostly THC and CBD), recent developments in the field have seen terpenes gain more recognition as a major factor in the medicinal benefits of medical cannabis.
Sam North
Back pain. What starts as a small niggle can quickly spiral out of control, leading to a lifetime of chronic discomfort. And while there is a huge range of conventional pharmaceutical options available to help manage and control back pain, the need for new, effective therapeutic allies is ever-present. Opioids are the most commonly prescribed pain relief for chronic back aches, but the potential for addiction and other heavy side effects related to long-term opioid use has led to an increased focus on alternative therapeutic options.
Sam North
