Who uses medical cannabis in the UK?

From athletes and lawyers, to healthcare professionals, and content creators, medical cannabis is used every day, by mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, to manage their chronic illnesses, and help them take back charge of their health. 

In an attempt to show how medical cannabis is used by all kinds of people, in all walks of life - we’ve analysed our patient demographic data (as of October 1st 2024) to answer the question ‘Who uses medical cannabis in the UK?’. 

Here we look at who uses medical cannabis in the UK, covering what kind of treatments they use, why they use them, and where they do so, in the hope of demonstrating that people just like you and I, use medical cannabis to manage their health.

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40% of Releaf medical cannabis patients are over the age of 45.

Although our data shows the most common age range for medical cannabis patients is 35-45, you may be surprised to find out that at Releaf, 40% of the patients we treat with medical cannabis are over the age of 45. 

Breaking this down even further, our data shows over a fifth (22%) of Releaf patients are aged between 45 and 55, 1 in 10 (11%) are aged between 56 and 64, and 7% of those with Releaf medical cannabis prescriptions are over the age of 65. 

When looking at those under the age of 45, 28% are aged between 35 and 44, a quarter (25%) are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 7% of the patients we treat at Releaf are aged between 18 and 24.

So, the answer to ‘who uses medical cannabis in the UK?’ is, as it turns out:
Usually, people over the age of 35. 

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Chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia are the most commonly treated conditions at Releaf.

At Releaf we have an extensive clinical team compromising of specialist GMC registered doctors in fields like rheumatology, oncology, psychiatry, neurology, and general or emergency medicine, as well as GPs, and registered nurses, and this allows us to treat patients with a wide range of health conditions. 

And, according to this latest dataset, we currently treat patients with over 60 different diagnosis’. 

The conditions we see patients with most regularly include chronic pain, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, arthritis, ADHD, lower back pain, PTSD, insomnia, and migraine. This is followed by endometriosis, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer related symptoms, and irritable bowel syndrome, and the list goes on. 

But, if we used this data to answer the question ‘what do people in the UK use medical cannabis for?’, the answer would be:
A varied range of conditions that are not responding to traditional treatments, but most frequently: chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia. 

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5 in 6 patients at Releaf had never tried cannabis before starting treatment

Our data also shows 83% of the patients we treat had never tried cannabis before receiving a prescription for cannabis-based medicines at Releaf.

This means only 1 in 6 of the patients treated at Releaf have used cannabis previously, despite the popular misconception that the only people that use medical cannabis are people who use cannabis recreationally, or, those who have previously experimented with it in the past. 

Because we are aware of this stigmatisation, and have the statistics to debunk it - we’ve always been dedicated to improving cannabis-based education, and ensure from the very beginning, patients are supported throughout their new health journey with specialised knowledge, and compassionate understanding.

So, one answer to the question ‘who uses medical cannabis in the UK?’ could be: Mostly, those who have never tried cannabis before.

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30% of Releaf patients have prescriptions for medical cannabis oil.

We also wanted to clarify what types of cannabis-based medicines are used most frequently in the UK, and according to our data, 87% of Releaf patients receive prescriptions for medical cannabis flower.

Around 28% of those using Releaf services are prescribed a combination of medical cannabis flower and medical cannabis oil to manage their health condition, or conditions, and 12%  have oil-only treatment plans. 

But of course, no two cultivars - or medical cannabis oils’-  are the same. And, neither are our patients. 

As well as our Releaf branded range of medical cannabis cultivars that are grown here in the UK, our doctors can prescribe from a varied formulary containing medical cannabis cultivars and medical cannabis oils, sourced from GMP complaint manufacturers in Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, or even as far as Australia, Jamaica, and Canada. 

Having access to this extensive formulary allows our doctors to curate bespoke treatment plans for each individual, while catering to a diverse range of patient needs.

But, to get back to the question ‘how do people use medical cannabis in the UK?’, our answer is: 

Generally speaking, in dried flower form, which should be vaporised and inhaled.

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Medical cannabis patients live all over the UK, and Releaf treats patients in 83% of UK cities.

When we last looked at our geographical data, 6 months after our official launch, in August 2024 we found we were treating patients in over 50% of UK cities. But, we’re thrilled, that as of the 1st of October, this has grown to 83%. 

This includes cities like London, Glasgow, Newport, and Belfast, as well as Bangor, Birmingham, Bristol, and Edinburgh - the list goes on. Realistically speaking, there’s a high probability that people who live locally to you use our services thanks to our convenient online appointments and signed-for medication delivery.

So, regardless of where you are in the UK, or what your local healthcare services are like, the possibility of medical cannabis treatment is likely to be much closer than you think. 

To answer the final question, ‘where do people access medical cannabis in the UK’, we’d say: 

Usually, from the comfort of their own home, which could be almost anywhere in the UK.