Cannabis for medical purposes has been legal in the UK since November 1, 2018. However, many people are still unaware of the clinics providing treatment regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
What Conditions Can Medical Cannabis Be Prescribed For?
Doctors in the UK can prescribe medical cannabis for patients with conditions that may benefit from its symptom relief. These conditions include chronic pain, mental health disorders, neurological issues, gastrointestinal issues, women’s health issues, palliative care needs, and more.
The most common conditions and symptoms that medical cannabis can be prescribed for include:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- Migraine
- Insomnia
- Endometriosis
- Sciatica
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Arthritis
- PTSD
- Fibromyalgia
- Sleep disorders
- Cancer-related pain
- Crohn’s disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Leukaemia and Lymphoma
- Parkinson’s
- Period Pain and PMS
- Menopause
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Many of the products, which are classed as controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, are unlicensed. This means their safety, efficacy, and quality haven’t yet been assessed. These unlicensed cannabis-related medicinal products must be prescribed by a doctor authorized to do so via the General Medical Council’s Specialist Register.
Most medical cannabis prescribing clinics are privately run, although it is possible to get a medical cannabis prescription from the NHS. These tend to be restricted to certain conditions, however, including children and adults with rare and severe forms of epilepsy, people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis and adults suffering nausea from chemotherapy.
How Much Does Medical Cannabis Treatment Cost?
If you’re prescribed medical cannabis, you can typically expect to pay around £80 to £150 per month for your medication. However, pricing depends on the form (flower or oil), dosage, the balance of THC and CBD, and other factors.
The choice between cannabis oil and dried flower depends on individual preferences, medical conditions, and desired therapeutic outcomes.
Some patients benefit from using both oil and flower. Flower provides instant relief, which is useful for daytime symptom flare-ups, while oil offers gradual and longer-lasting relief, making it ideal for evening and overnight use.
The cost of a consultation for medical cannabis treatment varies between clinics and is listed for each clinic in our guide below.
As an example, the average monthly cost of medical cannabis medication in the UK is as follows:
- Oil only: £80 per month, assuming the medication lasts for 10 weeks.
- Flower only: £65 per month, assuming the medication lasts for around 5 weeks.
- Oil and flower: £130 per month, assuming the medication lasts for around 3 months.
Note: These are example treatment costs provided by one of the clinics in our guide. Your total treatment cost will depend on several factors such as your chosen clinic, type of medicinal cannabis product and your clinical diagnosis.
Best Medical Cannabis Clinics in the UK
We present to you the most comprehensive list of medical cannabis clinics in the UK today, as at July 2024. Currently, over 30 private clinics in the UK have been approved to administer cannabis products for medical reasons. These are some of the leading medicinal cannabis clinics in the UK market today.
Curaleaf Clinic – London
The first ever cannabis medicinal clinic in the UK, formerly known as Sapphire Medical, was founded by Dr Mikael Sodergren, the head of the Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group, back in 2019. Around 60 per cent of the patients who attend suffer from chronic pain conditions, and approximately 25 per cent have psychiatric disorders, such as depression, post-traumatic stress etc. An initial consultation costs £50.
Leva Clinic – London
Leva Clinic is led by a team of experts who have run NHS pain clinics, served as elected leaders of prominent pain institutions in the UK, and contributed to the development of NICE guidelines on chronic pain. They have been featured on the BBC and pride themselves on a unique 3-in-1 (“biopsychosocial”) approach that treats pain holistically for the best chance of success. The team provides specialized medical cannabis treatments with initial appointment costs of £99 for pain consultations and £150 for psychologist consultations.
Mamedica – London
An online medicinal cannabis prescribing clinic, doctors at Mamedica see and speak to patients online via a video link. The team prescribe for pain, psychiatry, neurology, palliative care and cancer. The patient must fill out a form to ensure they are eligible for the company’s services. They also have to supply their written medical history. Once diagnosed, the cannabis medication is sent to the patient’s home by post. Initial appointments costs £150.
Integro Medical Clinic – London
Based in Harley Street and run by Pain Consultant Dr Sunny Nayee and Psychiatric consultant Dr Niraj Singh, Integro Medical provides relief for those whose difficulties lie in pain medicine, psychiatry, oncology, women’s health, spinal pain and palliative medicine. A full-time dedicated cannabis practice nurse is available to help patients, answer questions, etc. The initial appointment cost is £95
Lyphe Clinic – London
Lyphe Clinic provides tailored treatment plans for patients suffering from various medical conditions, focusing on improving quality of life. Initial appointments cost £49 or you can also subscribe for £19.99 a month.
Resilience Medicine – London
Resilience Medicine, founded by Dr. Dani Gordon, leverages over a decade of experience in integrative and cannabinoid medicine from North America. The clinic focuses on the holistic treatment of complex fatigue, pain, and mental health conditions, blending conventional medication with innovative approaches such as functional medicine. They address a wide range of conditions, including ADHD, autism, depression, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, long COVID, central sensitivity, PTSD, tics, POTS, MCAS, IBS, autoimmune disorders, and provide support for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Initial appointments cost £349.
Cantourage Clinic – London
Based in London’s Ramsgate Street in Hackney, the Cantourage Clinic offers medicinal cannabis for various conditions, such as pain, neurology, gastroenterology, oncology, psychiatry and palliative care. Clinic specialists are Dr Anup Mathew in Psychiatry and Dr Gerard Sinovich for Pain Management. Cantourage Clinics provide medical cannabis treatments with an initial appointment cost of £149.
Alternaleaf Clinics – London
Alternaleaf Clinics is an online medical cannabis clinic that connects you with expert doctors and pharmacists specializing in plant medicine. If you’re eligible, your medication will be delivered to your door anywhere in the UK, except for the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Appointments cost £39 for pay-as-you-go patients or £15 a month with the Alternaleaf Membership, which requires a 12-month minimum commitment. Initial appointments are free for Blue Light Card holders, veterans, or families of serving military personnel.
Jorja Emerson Centre – London
The Jorja Emerson Centre, located in the Paddington area of central London, offers care for the specialties of general paediatrics, neurology, chronic pain, mental illness, addiction, autism diagnosis, and ADHD. Diagnostics include MRI, genetic testing, sequencing, and ultrasound. They offer a subscription-based model for medical cannabis treatments with a monthly fee of £19.50 or an annual fee of £199, which includes all appointments and prescription fees.
CB1 Clinic – Leicester
CB1 Clinic provides accessible medical cannabis treatments with an initial appointment cost of £50 for the first year. All consultations are free for veterans and ex-service personnel. Medicinal cannabis is prescribed for pain conditions, mental health, palliative care, gastrointestinal issues, and neurological conditions. Indications include anxiety, depression, sciatica, insomnia, cancer-related pain and more.
London Cannabis Clinic
The London Cannabis Clinic is a branch of the London Pain Clinic and is located on Harley Street in central London. The London Cannabis Clinic mainly prescribes for patients to help with both short-term and longer-term pain management. The clinic is led by clinical associate Dr Attam Singh and an initial consultation at the clinic costs £299.
Elios Clinic – Birmingham
Elios Clinic provides General Medical Council-approved medicinal cannabis-based products (CBPMs). They offer personalized treatment plans and strive to make accessing medical cannabis seamless and transparent. Areas covered include Birmingham, Derby, Dudley, Leicester, London, Manchester, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Sheffield, Coventry, Northampton, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Oxford, Milton Keynes, and Nottingham. Their process starts by completing an eligibility form followed by a video consultation with a doctor. Initial appointments cost £50.
Cannabis Clinic – Cardiff
Based in Cardiff, Wales and run by consultant psychiatrists Dr Dave Howells and Dr Mathew Hoskins, the clinic focuses on a range of mental health conditions which can be helped with medicinal cannabis. These include substance misuse disorder, ADHD, Dementia, PTSD and anxiety. An initial appointment costs £250, with a follow-up appointment coming to £100.
Script Assist App – London
Script Assist App is a data driven tech group founded by Arjun Rajyagor and Ben Hamburger with a mission to revolutionise the prescribing of medical cannabis.. The application provides direct digital access to specialist consultants for medical cannabis treatments with initial appointment costs starting at £150. Follow up appointments cost £75.
Solihull Health Check Clinic – Solihull
Solihull Health Check Clinic offers medical cannabis treatments for a variety of chronic pain, neurological and psychiatric conditions with an initial appointment cost of £225. Led by consultants, care is provided in a safe, supportive environment for patients who need access to cannabis-based medicinal products.
Wellford Medical Clinics – Milton Keynes
Wellford Medical Clinics offer trusted support and medical cannabis treatments with an initial appointment cost of £50. Their team includes leading pain management consultants, consultant psychiatrists, and an intensive care medicine consultant. These professionals hold prominent positions in top London hospitals such as Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and London Bridge Hospital.
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