Earth Day special: Is cannabis natural?

Cannabis is a plant, or more accurately, a plant species that belongs to the Cannabaceae family genus. 

Like all plants, it contains a whole host of naturally occurring chemical compounds that can be harnessed for various purposes, and to date, we know cannabis and hemp plants have been a useful component in textiles, infrastructure, and medicinal treatments throughout history.

In fact, at one point under King Henry VIII’s rule, it was actually a legal requirement for farmers to grow hemp in the UK. And while it's generally accepted wild cannabis plants do grow in certain regions of the world, the same cannot be said for medical cannabis which is prescribed to patients in the UK. 

Medical cannabis is grown in a highly regulated, almost clinical environment to strict GMP compliance standards, passing through multiple quality control points. 

This inevitably involves a lot of innovative technology, and so, the question ‘is medical cannabis natural?’ presents an oxymoronic paradigm. 

But, it’s one we’ll do our best to unravel. So, let’s jump straight in: 

Is medical cannabis natural?

To answer this question accurately, first let’s clarify what ‘natural’ actually is. 

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ‘natural’ is: 

‘As found in nature and not involving anything made or done by people’

Taking this definition literally, in order to be a completely ‘natural’ a cannabis plant would have to be growing wildly, with no human involvement, influence, or tending to. And, in order to be a ‘natural’ medicine using this distinction, it would also need to be consumed or administered in its whole, pure form, with no alterations to its state made by humans in any way.  

And of course, this isn’t the case with medical cannabis - so it doesn’t fit this definition.

While cannabis is generally considered an indigenous plant in certain parts of the world, human involvement is always necessary in the manufacturing, transportation and administration of cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs). From plant to product to patient, they’re influenced in some sort of way by, or on behalf of, humans.

However, because CBPMs are derived from natural - or herbal - substances, most would argue this very literal interpretation is not appropriate, and while prescribed medical cannabis is not a naturally occurring substance - it is a ‘natural’ medicine. 

Is cannabis a natural medicine?

Medications are broadly divided into two categories: natural and synthetic.

In order to be classed as natural, they have to contain ingredients that have been supplied by either plants, animals, or microorganisms - however, they can be formulated into their ‘end form’ in a lab, or manufacturing facility. 

Some key examples include: 

• Opioids which come from opium poppies,
• Aspirin which come from Willow bark,
• Penicillin which come from fungus, 
• Digoxin which come from Foxglove
• Insulin which come from pigs and cattle
• Blood clot medications which come from pigs

On the other hand, synthetic medications are explicitly created in laboratories using chemical processes or controlled chemical reactions, and they have no ‘natural’ base whatsoever - take Xanax as an example. 

Using these distinctions, it's clear to see medical cannabis fits into the ‘natural’ medicine category as opposed to its ‘synthetic’ counterpart. 

We also looked at Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of ‘herbal medicine’ as others refer to cannabis-based medicines in this way. Their distinction of ‘herbal medicine’ reads:

‘The use of plants to treat medical conditions’, or, ‘A medicine or medical treatment made from plants’

And medical cannabis meets this distinction too, because in order to be a herbal medicine:

1. Medical cannabis has to be used as a plant to treat a condition: which it is when it's prescribed in flower form and vaporised to administer symptomatic relief, or, 
2. Formulated into a medical treatment: which it is by the likes of SOMAÍ pharmaceuticals who produce high-quality, GMP compliant medical cannabis oils, capsules, pastilles, and vape cartridges. 

And while most would think of herbs like turmeric, chamomile, ginger, and ginseng when they hear the ‘herbal medicine’ - now you know, cannabis clearly fits in here too.

Is a plant-based approach better for the planet?

With today being Earth Day it also seems fitting to explore the questions, ‘are natural medicines better for the environment?’ and ‘is there an eco-friendly medicine?’, but again, these answers aren’t straightforward either. 

Generally speaking, when considering what’s ‘good’ for the environment, a number of things needs to be taken into account. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Where the product is sourced from, i.e. is it manmade or naturally occurring, and if it is naturally occurring - is the supply sustainable and maintainable?
• How the product is produced, i.e. are harmful chemicals or fossil fuels that harm the environment used in its creation or formulation/ how much energy does it require?
• How the product is packaged and transported, i.e. how many air miles are attached to the product once it reaches the end user, and can its packaging be recycled after use?
  
  

While it cannot be denied that healthcare in its entirety is energy intensive, recently the NHS have been striving to become more environmentally friendly. In fact, in 2020 they committed to becoming the first health service to become carbon net-zero, and  just last month it was announced £180 million was being invested by Great British Energy into NHS Trusts to fund solar panels and more sustainable battery storage systems.

Environmental impact of transporting medicine

Next, let’s tackle the transportation.

Data shows that in 2022, £4.9 billion worth of pharmaceuticals were imported from Germany, and £2.1 billion from Belgium, into the UK in just one year. Estimates also suggest that in 2020, in Scotland alone, the carbon footprint attached to one just type of medicine - metered dose inhalers (MDI) which were prescribed 2.5 million times - was the equivalent of driving 1.125 billion miles in a car. 

Interestingly, the UK has also consistently been one of the largest exporters of cannabis in the world and although it was legalised for residents with a suitable health condition in 2018, up until 2024 patients relied on international imports of cannabis-based medicines. Which, of course, has a significant impact on the environment. 

That was until, our partnership with Glass Pharms. 

How environmentally friendly is medical cannabis?

Glass Pharms®  own and operate the UK’s largest medical cannabis manufacturing facility, just a short drive away from Stone Henge. But in addition to the lack of air miles attached to their prescribable medicines, Glass Pharms have a lot of other environmental plus points. In fact, they’ve even achieved a carbon negative status, which truly is a remarkable accomplishment in the world of medicine. 

How have they done this? 

Well, Glass Pharms use a sophisticated advanced glasshouse system that allows them to harness 40% of their energy directly from the sun. This is supported by their onsite solar farm and green energy production plant, which converts unused or wasted plant matter into sustainable energy. And, if all that wasn’t enough - they also use recycled rainwater and energy efficient LED lighting. 

This drive for excellence, amongst so many other reasons, was the motivation behind our partnership, which was the first of its kind in the medical cannabis industry. They now grow six Releaf-branded medical cannabis cultivars for our patients to the highest quality in their Home Office, MHRA regulated, and sophisticatedly sustainable facility for our patients here in the UK. 

How can I access medical cannabis in the UK?

To find out if you’re eligible for medical cannabis treatments, use our fast and free eligibility checker and answer three quick questions to get an instant indication.

If it appears cannabis-based treatments may be able to help you manage your symptoms, submit your medical records for full evaluation, and book in for your first consultation with one of our GMC registered specialist doctors. 

Residents in England can simply use NHS Login to grant us instant access to their health records to speed up the process, while those in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales can grant us permission to request these files from the NHS on their behalf, or upload them themselves - these records are typically reviewed within 48 hours. 

Once you’ve met with one of our doctors and worked with them to create your own bespoke treatment plan, you’ll be able to order medical cannabis oil or medical cannabis in flower form through the Releaf patient portal according to your new cannabis-based prescription. 

To find out more about how medical cannabis is delivered, how much medical cannabis costs, or what to expect during your first consultation, check out our other blogs for further reading. Or, if you’d prefer to hear from those who’ve already taken the jump, take a look at our patient stories to find out how medical cannabis has helped those in the UK firsthand. 

Finally, from all of us here at Releaf:

Happy Earth Day!