Words by Dave Barton, founder, Patient Panel and thermidor< As the British medical cannabis market continues to grow, this year’s Cannabis Europa brought together policymakers, investors, operators, and clinicians to discuss the future of medical cannabis. However, patients were asking a much simpler question: why can’t [...]

Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018, but for many patients, taking or carrying their prescribed medication in public still comes with uncertainty. Since launching its legal support helpline, Releaf Protect, Releaf Cannabis Clinic says it has received increasing reports from patients experiencing [...]

In a new multi-clinic survey, the majority of UK patients being treated with medical cannabis for anxiety, depression, and PTSD report improvements in their symptoms.  The survey gathered responses from 6,282 patients across the clinics Mamedica, Alternaleaf, CB1 Medical, and Curaleaf, including a 5,128-patient sub-cohort of [...]

Researchers at King’s College London say they have identified several molecular pathways that may help explain how heavy cannabis use can contribute to psychosis, in findings they believe could eventually support earlier risk detection and more targeted treatments. While previous research has suggested that cannabis use [...]

A global initiative, known as the Women’s Cannabis Project, has developed a new policy framework aimed at expanding access to medical cannabis for women’s health conditions across Europe, following a series of advocacy wins in the US. The framework, developed by the organisation’s European Advisory Council, [...]

The Care Quality Commission has raised several concerns about patient safety and prescribing practices at a private medical cannabis clinic, following an inspection last year that identified multiple regulatory breaches. In a report published in February, regulators found failures in safe care and treatment, governance and [...]

A preclinical study has shed new light on why cannabis consumers may have lower body weight and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, despite its well-known tendency to increase appetite. While cannabis is commonly associated with increased food intake — often referred to as [...]

Few conditions in the field of medical cannabis are backed by such adamant patient conviction, but as little clinical data as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is one of the most commonly reported reasons people seek medical cannabis prescriptions in legalised markets, yet the controlled [...]

The Cannabis Industry Council has published a new patient-focused guide, Travelling with Medical Cannabis, offering practical advice for UK patients navigating the complex and often inconsistent rules around travelling with prescribed medical cannabis. Whilst medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018, patients continue [...]

One of the country’s largest and most widely respected polling companies, YouGov, has published the latest results of a representative survey examining the British public’s attitudes towards cannabis. While YouGov acknowledged that the survey was timed to coincide with 4/20 (April 20), the unofficial date for celebrations [...]

In her bi-weekly series for Cannabis Health, Dr Sue Clenton, Consultant Oncologist and Medical Director at Releaf Cannabis Clinic, shares her insight from the frontline of an emerging field of medicine, taking readers inside the clinic and offering a doctor’s perspective on what it really means [...]

A new survey of more than 3,500 medical cannabis patients in Germany has found that more than half were able to reduce their use of other prescription medications. Data published by Bloomwell Group in its latest ‘Cannabis Barometer’ report indicates that more than half (58.9%) of [...]

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have passed a motion designed to safeguard medical cannabis patients and protect them from discrimination. The party voted overwhelmingly to approve the motion at its spring conference in Cardiff in March, marking what some have described as a critical step forward for [...]

Cannabis Europa, the leading B2B conference for the European cannabis industry, has announced the full programme for its 2026 London edition. Taking place at The Barbican on 26 and 27 May, the event will bring together more than 70 speakers — regulators, investors, clinicians and operators [...]

Researchers found that people who consumed THC were more likely to recall words that were never shown to them and had more trouble completing everyday memory tasks, such as remembering to do something later. Published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the results from the double-blind placebo-controlled [...]

The Irish government has appointed a public health academic to chair a formal review of its now five-year-old Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) following months of parliamentary pressure. Despite launching in 2021, a recent (March 18, 2026) written ministerial answer reveals that less than 100 patients have been approved [...]

A small pilot study has found preliminary evidence to suggest that the FDA-approved CBD formulation, Epidiolex, may have benefits for weight restoration and symptom improvement in anorexia patients.  Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness, marked by an intense fear of gaining weight and persistent [...]

On the second anniversary of Germany’s landmark Cannabis Act (CanG) coming into force, the most comprehensive data and analysis of its impact to date has been published.  Last week, the government published the results of the second Ekocan (Evaluation des Konsumcannabisgesetzes) evaluation, providing vital new details [...]

Words by Ben Stevens & Sarah Sinclair A new campaign is calling for urgent regulatory changes to how medical cannabis is prescribed to psychiatric patients in the UK, following what is believed to be the first time a coroner has found that a prescription for cannabis [...]

New research suggests that long-term, heavy cannabis use is associated with subtle changes to the frontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in decision-making and executive function. The study, the findings of which were presented at the 2026 European Congress of Psychiatry this month, focused [...]

By Dr Sue Clenton, Consultant Oncologist and Medical Director at Releaf Cannabis Clinic In her bi-weekly series for Cannabis Health, Dr Sue Clenton, Consultant Oncologist and Medical Director at Releaf Cannabis Clinic, shares her insight from the front line of an emerging field of medicine, taking [...]

A major new systematic review has concluded that the available evidence rarely justifies the routine prescribing of cannabinoids for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. This study has been covered by a significant portion of the largest mainstream media outlets both in the UK and internationally, and [...]

New research suggests that two non-psychoactive cannabis compounds could help treat fatty liver disease, the most common form of chronic liver disorder.  Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG), can significantly reduce liver fat and improve metabolic health [...]

In a fascinating deep dive into human physiology, Dr. Rowan Thompson, resident doctor and Vice Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS), explores the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)—a complex biological network that remains largely untaught in medical schools despite its pivotal role in maintaining internal balance, [...]

A new UK-wide service supporting medical cannabis patients who face discrimination has launched to fill gaps left by the absence of systematic government support. Patient Protect was founded by patient advocate Alex Fraser and cannabis lawyer Robert Jappie, who have handled cases on a pro-bono basis for several years. The [...]

Ananda Pharma has cleared the final regulatory hurdle needed to begin its ENDOCAN Phase 2 clinical trial, receiving approval from the MHRA and NHS Health Research Authority to commence dosing of its proprietary MRX1 CBD oral solution in women with endometriosis-associated pain. The milestone marks a [...]

As cannabis research continues to progress, increasing attention is being given to two promising compounds, cannabigerol (CBG) and its precursor, cannabigerolic acid (CBG-A). Often overshadowed by the more widely recognised cannabinoids THC and CBD, these non-psychoactive compounds are now being explored for their therapeutic potential. Broughton, [...]

In her bi-weekly series for Cannabis Health, Dr Sue Clenton, Consultant Oncologist and Medical Director at Releaf Cannabis Clinic, shares her insight from the front line of an emerging field of medicine, taking readers inside the clinic and offering a doctor’s perspective on what it really [...]

Polish pharmacies dispensed nearly 5,450 kilograms of dried cannabis flower in 2025, a 12% increase from the prior year, according to new data obtained by Prohibition Partners. By October, monthly volumes had surpassed the pre-ban peak for the first time, reaching a new all-time high in December. [...]

A UK medical cannabis patient has won a Crown Court appeal after being wrongly convicted of driving with THC above the legal limit.  At Winchester Crown Court on 10 February 2026, Sal Aziz, a legally prescribed medical cannabis patient, was fully acquitted of the charges after [...]

Bristol Medical School has formally approved what is believed to be one of the first student-selected medical cannabis teaching placements offered by a UK university. The move marks a significant step forward for undergraduate education in an area of practice that remains widely under-taught. Despite medical [...]

Early findings examining the impact of the partial legalisation of cannabis in Germany suggest no short-term spike in consumption or related driving offences, alongside a sharp drop in prosecutions. Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in Germany have investigated the short-term effects of the [...]

The first administrative appeal hearing on whether Female Orgasmic Disorder (FOD) should be recognised as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis is taking place in the US state of Oregon this week. From 3 to 5 February, state officials will hear testimony from clinicians, researchers, and [...]

A new study suggests a combination approach may provide the benefits of THC treatment in Alzheimer’s with fewer negative side effects. Researchers from The University of Texas at San Antonio paired a low-dose THC extract with the selective anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib. Their findings, published in Aging and [...]

A comprehensive guide on how to read and interpret cannabis research. Why Reading Research Matters The volume of cannabis research has never been higher, but not all studies are created equal. Every week brings new claims about cannabinoids relieving pain, aiding sleep, or reducing anxiety, yet [...]

A recent peer-reviewed paper has identified a previously unrecognised form of reporting bias that may be skewing how medical cannabis evidence is presented. The paper, published in Research Integrity and Peer Review, introduces the concept of reverse spin bias – a pattern in which authors of systematic [...]

In the first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, vaporised cannabis was found to be more effective for treating acute migraine symptoms than a placebo. While preclinical and retrospective studies have suggested cannabinoids may be effective in migraine treatment, according to the researchers, until now, there have been no [...]

Researchers in the UK have proposed new thresholds for monitoring cannabis use – modelled on alcohol units – which they say could help people avoid potentially harmful consumption.  The threshold recommendations, proposed in a paper published in the journal Addiction, are based on a system for [...]

Patients and healthcare professionals have responded to recent media coverage, which they say misrepresented those receiving treatment with cannabis-based medicines in the UK. On 6 January 2026, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) approved the first official guidance on medical cannabis for officers in England and [...]

A new initiative is giving patients a direct voice in how the UK’s medical cannabis market is shaped, as global producers look to better understand the needs of the community. Launching this month, Patient Panel is a new medical cannabis market research consultancy that aims to [...]

Last week, the first official guidance on medical cannabis for police officers in England and Wales was made public. Its publication marks a significant step forward for both the patient community and law enforcement, finally providing an initial standardised set of principles for both to adhere [...]

Over seven years after medical cannabis was legalised in the UK, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has approved the first official guidance for medical cannabis.  The guidance, titled ‘Medicinal Cannabis and the Police – Guidance for Officers and Staff’, crucially calls for officers in England and [...]

In her bi-weekly series for Cannabis Health, Dr Sue Clenton, Consultant Oncologist and Medical Director at Releaf Cannabis Clinic, shares her insight from the front line of an emerging field of medicine, taking readers inside the clinic and offering a doctor’s perspective on what it really [...]

From tighter telemedicine rules to evolving product frameworks, as global medical cannabis markets mature, many are entering a more cautious phase as we head into 2026. After a broadly optimistic and reform-driven 2024, this year saw momentum begin to shift once again for the global medical [...]

Dr Simon Erridge, Head of Research, Curaleaf Clinic, reflects on some of the key findings published from the UK Medical Cannabis Patient Registry this year. As we look back on 2025, it’s been another year of deepening understanding about how medical cannabis is being used in [...]

A team of scientists testing the effects of CBD and THC on ovarian cancer cells have found that both show promising anti-cancer effects.  While still in the early stages, researchers say these preliminary findings from the laboratory present an important opportunity to develop effective new therapies [...]