UK Government appeals for medical cannabis evidence

UK government launches medical cannabis call for evidence

On the 17th September 2025, the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs launched a review of the impact of the 2018 changes to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, which included the introduction of legal medical cannabis in the UK.

In terms of medical cannabis, the government is looking for insights on whether the 2018 reforms, which allowed specialist doctors to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use, have actually worked in practice. 

Patient and professional voices at the centre of the review

The review has cast an almost surprisingly wide net, at least when compared to previous discussion around medical cannabis in the UK… 

Patients and their families are invited to share their lived experience. So are healthcare professionals, researchers, importers, manufacturers, and regulators. 

At Releaf, we see the inclusion of patients as especially significant.

For too long, policy has been written about them rather than with them. This shift recognises that people living with conditions for which medical cannabis is prescribed are among the best placed to speak on what has worked, what has not, and where change would matter most.

The date for submission runs until 17 October 2025 and will feed directly into government recommendations. If you are interested in contributing to this review, head to the online questionnaire. 

There is also a downloadable version that can be filled out and sent to the ACMD Secretariat at: acmd@homeoffice.gov.uk

What the 2025 UK government medical cannabis questionnaire covers

The questionnaire is broad and, in parts, asks the questions that patients and prescribers have been raising since 2018. 

It starts with the basics: who is replying, in what capacity, and with what experience, but quickly moves into more interesting territory...

• Why are NHS prescriptions still so limited?
• How are outcomes recorded?
• Which conditions should be considered for treatment?
• It even asks respondents to comment on how the shift in public perception (on both medical and recreational cannabis) has been felt at ground level. 

The findings, including individual responses, may be published, but all responses will remain anonymous. This means patients, clinicians, and industry figures can speak openly without their names or organisations being attached. The protection is there so that evidence can be given plainly, without fear of consequence.

Why the 2025 review of medical cannabis laws matters

When first announced, the 2018 reforms were not just a huge surprise, but they also promised to be a true turning point. And while amazing progress has been made in the seven years since UK medical cannabis legalisation was enacted, there is always room for further improvement. 

NHS prescriptions remain almost laughably rare.

Since 2018, only three specific health issues are considered suitable when it comes to the NHS medical cannabis scheme. This includes: severe forms of childhood epilepsy, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis-related spasticity. 

For every other condition where medical cannabis may help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life, patients are left with no NHS option at all.

Current routes for safe medical cannabis access in the UK

With NHS coverage being so sparse, even for those with the conditions that are legally covered, thankfully, there is another route for patients who need safe and consistent access to medical cannabis. Private medical cannabis clinics like Releaf have stepped in to provide a dependable alternative, ensuring that patients are not left behind simply because their condition is not on the NHS list.

Since officially opening our doors in February 2024, Releaf has quickly become the fastest-growing and most trusted medical cannabis clinic in the UK by focusing on what matters most: patient care, reliability, and transparency. 

With a world-class clinical team of more than 30 specialists, doctors, and nurses, a built-from-the-ground-up Patient Dashboard that manages consultations, prescriptions, orders, deliveries and tracking, and consistent medication supply through Glass Pharms® and trusted international partners like SOMAÍ, Releaf patients have a safe and structured pathway to treatment today.

Want to learn more? 

Head to our medical cannabis eligibility checker. It’s free, takes less than 20 seconds to complete, and comes with no obligation to go beyond seeing whether treatment could be right for you. If you’re curious about whether medical cannabis treatment could be suitable for you, this is the simplest first step.