Medical Cannabis

Medical Cannabis

Explore UK-focused medical cannabis articles, including legal updates, patient experiences, treatment options, and the latest research within the British cannabis landscape.

What to know before starting medical cannabis treatment with Releaf

Starting medical cannabis treatment can feel daunting. This guide explains how treatment works in the UK, what information you need to provide, and what happens next, helping you understand the process clearly before your first consultation with Releaf.

12 min read
30.01.2026
Sam North

Mental health in the changing seasons

As we head into the spring and out of the dark, cold months of winter, we’re shedding some light on how the changing seasons play an often overlooked role in our mental health. From ‘Blue Monday’ to ‘Yellow Day’, we’ll explore seasons' significance in common mental health struggles and the role of medical and wellness interventions.

9 min read
21.03.2024
Emily Ledger

National Blood Donor Month: Can I donate blood as a medical cannabis patient in the UK?

Blood donation is vital for many areas of health care, including emergency blood transfusions, as well as for medical research and the development of new treatments. This National Blood Donor Month, we’re looking at the importance of blood donation in the UK and around the world, and looking into how your status as a medical cannabis patient could affect your eligibility to give blood.

11 min read
28.01.2026
Sam North

What to expect: your first medical cannabis consultation

At Releaf, we’re on a mission to make accessing medical cannabis treatments as easy as possible for those that need them, and one of the ways we’re doing this is by breaking down barriers, answering FAQs, and debunking myths. So today, we’re discussing what to expect at your first medical cannabis consultation with Releaf.

8 min read
01.06.2025
Lucy MacKinnon

World Panic Day: medical cannabis for anxiety

With roots stretching back more than two decades, World Panic Day was created to bring attention to the alarming rise in anxiety disorders and the need for improved understanding, support, and treatment. It is a day to educate others about the realities of living with anxiety, to dispel myths and misconceptions, and to promote acceptance.

15 min read
26.02.2025
Sam North

The declining mental health of university students and how medical cannabis is helping

Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, stressful periods, and the odd moment of calm. This rollercoaster of emotions can be even more intense and challenging for university students, as there are just so many things to juggle - exams, assignments, social life, work, family, the pressure of figuring out what to do with your life, or if you have even made the right choice with your chosen academic path.

11 min read
14.03.2024
Sam North

The Releaf medical cannabis card explained

Releaf offers every patient a medical cannabis card with their prescription to help ensure peace of mind when administering their medicine in public. Here’s everything you need to know about how it works.

9 min read
12.03.2024
Sarah Sinclair

How diet interacts with medical cannabis oil

While we may be cautious about drug-drug interactions, many of us likely give little thought to potential food-drug interactions. In this article, and to commemorate this year’s Nutrition and Hydration Week, we’re taking a closer look at how diet can influence the effects of medical cannabis oil.

14 min read
26.02.2025
Emily Ledger

A Rheumatologist’s perspective: Q&A on medical cannabis and fibromyalgia

Hello, and welcome to the first of many conversations with Releaf’s specialist doctors. This week we’re speaking to our expert Rheumatologist, Dr Hanna Gul, about the benefits medical cannabis may be able to offer to patients who are struggling with fibromyalgia.

9 min read
06.11.2024
Lucy MacKinnon

How does medical cannabis affect the body

To launch our New Patient blog series, we're beginning with a beginner's guide that explores the effects of medical cannabis on the body.

6 min read
22.11.2024
Sam North

How the UK healthcare industry is investigating medical cannabis

This article will take a deep dive into the global evidence base for the medicinal use of cannabis, with a specific focus on clinical trials and emerging areas of research in the UK. We’ll explore how the findings can inform modern healthcare and potentially make a real difference to millions of patients in the UK.

14 min read
05.03.2024
Sarah Sinclair

What is prescribed cannabis oil?

In today's article, we are going to put a spotlight on all the medical cannabis oil options that are now legally prescribable here in the UK and take a close look at how they may be able to aid patients in managing symptoms relating to a huge range of health conditions.

15 min read
22.11.2024
Sam North

Rare conditions medical cannabis may be prescribed for in the UK

With Rare Disease Day upon us, let's take this opportunity to have a look at how certain rare health conditions may benefit from medical cannabis and how medical cannabis has already been prescribed in the UK to treat some rare conditions.

9 min read
29.02.2024
Sam North

Eating disorders and medical cannabis

As February draws to a close each year in the UK, Eating Disorder Awareness Week is held to shine a light on the prevalence of eating disorders, and raise awareness for the struggles they cause. As a UK based medical cannabis clinic, we felt it was important to honour this important topic, and discuss the emerging potential of medical cannabis in the treatment of various eating disorders.

11 min read
19.02.2025
Lucy MacKinnon

International Epilepsy Day: epilepsy's influence on medical cannabis in the UK

With International Epilepsy Day just passing us by (on the 12th of February), we decided to take a look back at how medical cannabis treatment has added to epilepsy treatment options, the role epilepsy played in essentially forcing medical cannabis to become a legal reality here in the UK, and a look forward to what the future may hold for medical cannabis and epilepsy treatment in the UK.

13 min read
16.12.2024
Sam North

Sinking our teeth into medical cannabis and dentistry

To celebrate National toothache day, we thought it would be appropriate to sink our teeth into the topic of dentistry in the landscape of medical cannabis, and discuss how cannabis use can affect and impact oral health.

10 min read
26.02.2025
Lucy MacKinnon

Talking about medical cannabis as a parent

The 27th of January, wasn’t just any Saturday, it was also Parent Mental Health Day. Parent Mental Health Day is a national day of awareness dedicated to educating the public about the importance of maintaining good mental health and taking care of your own wellbeing, whilst being a parent or caregiver. This year’s theme is ‘creating positive relationships’, and so, we thought it would be fitting to explore how to approach the subject of medical cannabis with your children.

5 min read
29.01.2024
Lucy MacKinnon

What is the entourage effect?

The entourage effect is a well-known theory in medical cannabis and CBD landscapes. This theory suggests that when cannabis compounds are consumed together, they compliment each other's individual characteristics, and work together synergistically to have the most enhanced effect, or beneficial result, on the body.

9 min read
26.01.2024
Lucy MacKinnon

International Day of Education: Medical cannabis

As well as being World Dementia Day, this Wednesday is the International Day of Education. Held every year on the 24th of January, International Day of Education was implemented by the United Nations back in December 2018, just one month after the UK legalised medical cannabis.

13 min read
02.02.2024
Lucy MacKinnon

Can I get medical cannabis from my GP?

No, GPs are currently unable to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicine in the UK. Only specialist doctors registered with the General Medical Council can legally prescribe, and only through a private clinic.

8 min read
07.06.2025
Editorial Team

MPs' reflect on 5 years of medical cannabis prescriptions

Medical cannabis was a highly politicised topic between 2015 and 2018 when the UK Home Office finally conceded that cannabis does have medicinal properties and could no longer maintain its prohibition. The evidence was undeniable, and the science was too clear to hide any longer.

12 min read
18.11.2024
Editorial Team

Irradiated medical cannabis: Everything you need to know

You may have heard the phrase "irradiated medical cannabis" and wondered what on earth that means. Why would you need to irradiate cannabis? It sounds alarming to those unfamiliar with the practice but you may have heard about it in connection with pharmaceutical preparations or medical implants (and even our food), which often pass through a sterilisation process. It's perfectly normal, and we will get to grips with it in this article.

15 min read
10.05.2025
Editorial Team