Despite being one of the most important regulatory systems in human physiology, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) remains inexplicably absent from almost all mainstream medical education. A report published by Volteface in 2022 found that in the UK, while around 40,000 clinicians are eligible to prescribe medical cannabis, only [...]

The ‘remarkable’ mother and campaigner, who played a pivotal role in the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK, Hannah Deacon, has died at the age of 45. In a statement on her website, Hannah’s loved ones said they were ‘heartbroken’ to share the news of [...]

New analysis from the UK has found that cannabis-based medicines are associated with improvements in symptoms and overall quality of life in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy.  Researchers say the study, which analysed data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry (UKMCR), shows the ‘promising potential’ of cannabis-based [...]

New research reveals that the use of cannabidiol (CBD) cannabis extract can lead to meaningful benefits and improve behaviour in children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  ASD affects approximately one in 100 children around the world and symptoms can include difficulty interpreting language, difficulty [...]

A new pilot study has examined how medically supervised cannabis use in a residential recovery home may support people in treatment for substance use challenges.  The study, recently published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, was conducted by researchers from UBC Okanagan and [...]

The largest meta-analysis of scientific data on medical cannabis’ viability in cancer treatment to date has been published, finding overwhelmingly positive consensus for its therapeutic potential. In a comprehensive review drawing on a dataset of over 10,000 peer-reviewed publications and nearly 40,000 associated data points, the Whole Health Oncology [...]

Patients prescribed medical cannabis in Australia maintained improvements in overall health-related quality of life (HRQL), fatigue, and sleep disturbance across a one-year period, according to new research. The study, published in the journal PLOS One by researchers at the University of Sydney, also found that anxiety, [...]

The number of pregnant women using cannabis in the US has more than tripled over the last two decades, with researchers calling for further studies to inform intervention approaches. Cannabis use has been increasing during pregnancy, according to researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public [...]

Scientists at the University of South Australia say they have developed an innovative solution to improve the effectiveness of cannabidiol to treat epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant, is widely prescribed for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory [...]

France’s four-year campaign to launch a fully regulated generalised medical cannabis framework is finally being realised. Just weeks ago thousands of participants in Frances’ medical cannabis ‘experiment’, launched in 2021, were preparing to wean themselves off the treatment and had been instructed by the government to [...]

UK adults remain confused about the legal status and availability of medical cannabis, despite it being legalised in 2018, a new survey has revealed.  According to a new study of 2,000 adults, while four in every five respondents (79%) were aware of medical cannabis, only 26% [...]

Releaf is one of the first medical cannabis clinics to integrate with the NHS’ Spine service, the digital backbone of healthcare across the UK. Could this be a turning point in how clinicians view and engage with cannabis-based medicines? While the number of prescriptions for CBMPs [...]

Last week, the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) voted almost unanimously to place hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) under Schedule II of the 1971 Convention. After over a year of warnings from various international health bodies and individual efforts from a swathe of countries [...]

A new study has found certain cannabis terpenes to be effective at relieving post-surgical and fibromyalgia pain in preclinical models. Research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences and funded by the National Institute of Health, suggests that terpenes from the Cannabis sativa plant may be [...]

The concept of the medical cannabis card originated out of the US in some jurisdictions where patients are issued an annual card from their doctor which permits them to purchase medical cannabis from any legal dispensary.  Although the markets in Europe differ significantly to those in [...]

Written by SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals CEO, Michael Sassano For years, medical cannabis has been treated as a commodity, with little emphasis on brand differentiation. However, as the market evolves, established cannabis brands are playing an increasingly critical role in patient care, physician confidence, and regulatory acceptance, mirroring [...]

In a new survey of UK doctors, 84% said they would be open to prescribing medical cannabis for chronic pain if it were part of the NHS toolkit. The findings indicate there may be significant support among doctors for widening access to medical cannabis for the [...]

The preliminary findings from Switzerland’s seven active pilot trials, involving around three per cent of the country’s active cannabis consumers, have been published by a local university. Just days after Switzerland announced it was positioning itself to become the first European country to launch a full commercial adult-use [...]

In a new research paper, mothers using medical cannabis to manage their health say it helps them to be ‘more present’ and ‘tolerant’ parents.  A new study, funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, has explored the experiences of mothers using medical cannabis to [...]

Drug policy experts have backed a family’s call for regulatory reform to protect patients travelling to Ireland with legal cannabis medication. Jason Pickering was making the trip to Ireland to visit his late father’s grave, when his cannabis medication was seized at Dublin Airport on 23 [...]

Switzerland has approved a draft proposal to establish a fully commercial adult-use cannabis market, putting the country in pole position to be the first in Europe to do so. A new draft for a federal law, which would enable citizens to legally ‘grow, buy, possess and [...]

A new research partnership between the University of Malta and the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis will study the differences between illegal cannabis and that which is accessed through licensed associations. The agreement, which will see the University of Malta and the ARUC collaborate [...]

Europe’s first patient-led event will return next month with a focus on the medicinal use of cannabis in chronic neurodegenerative diseases.  Following a successful launch in Madrid in October, We, The Patients, will host its first event in Switzerland on 1 March at the Resident Zürich [...]

Via Business of Cannabis Spain’s long-awaited medical cannabis program has finally taken a step forward as a draft of a Royal Decree has been sent to the European Union for approval. If approved, this should give Spanish patients legal access to medical cannabis for the first [...]