Beginners Guide to Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since November 2018, with over 35,000 patients thought to have a legal prescription. Access to is easier than you may think and can include THC & CBD flowers, balanced strains, oils, cartridges and capsules.

Medical cannabis needs to be prescribed by a specialist doctor, and can not currently be prescribed by a GP. As cannabis is not widely available on the NHS, your prescription requires you to fund it.

Both THC and CBD are available on legal prescription in the United Kingdom. Your prescription could include cannabis flowers, oils, and other CBPMs (cannabis-based medicinal products), depending on each patient’s needs.


Where to start

If you have a health condition that could be treated by medical cannabis, you could be eligible for a legal prescription.

Examples of conditions
Chronic Pain, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Joint Pains, Back Pain, Migraines, EDS, Crohn’s Disease, IBS, ADHD, Anxiety, PTSD, Epilepsy, MS, Chronic Fatigue, Cancer Pain, and much more.

In most cases you need to have tried at least 2 conventional medications or treatments for condition to be eligible for medical cannabis.
Individual eligibility depends on the prescribing clinic/doctor.

How to get a medical cannabis prescription

  • STEP 1

    Contact your GP and ask for your ‘Brief Summary of Care’. This should be free of charge to obtain, and can usually be done over email.

  • STEP 2

    Choose a clinic to sign up with. Each clinic’s pricing varies, and certain clinics only treat certain conditions.


    See our list of clinics here.

  • STEP 3

    Once you have chose a clinic, get your appointment booked with your chosen clinic. Once you’ve had your sign-up consultation, you’ll receive contact from your pharmacy for payment, usually within a few days.

  • HELPFUL TIPS

    It is handy to know that you have the right to choose a different pharmacy if you are not happy with the clinics choice pharmacy.

    List of pharmacies available here.



    Some patients like to know what flower they’d like to try prior to their appointment. There is more detailed strain info on Medbud.

    Learn more at medbud.wiki


    You can also check out the MCPA Discord server(18+) where you can engage with fellow patients, see real medical cannabis flower reviews, and find other helpful information on products available.
    Check out the MCPA Discord here 18+

  • DISCOUNT SCHEMES

    Project Twenty21 (T21)
    Some clinics have the option to sign up as a T21 patient, where you can receive discounts on certain flowers and oils in exchange for sharing your data for research into medical cannabis use. You will be required to fill out regular questionnaires if you join T21.

    Find out more


    Grow Access Project (GAP)
    Integro Clinics, in collaboration with Grow Pharma, are offering sign-up consultations free of charge for a certain number of patients who are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, ESA, and Carers allowance, as well as PIP, veterans of UK armed forces, university students, and CanCard holders issued before 15/08/2023. The Grow Access Project offers reduced costs on appointments and repeats, whilst also offering £1 off per gram on certain Grow products.
    Find out more

Examples of prescribed medical cannabis flowers

1 3

Examples of prescribed medical cannabis oils and vape cartridges

1 3

FAQ's

What are CBPMs?

Cannabis-based products for medicinal use, also known as CBPMs, can include both THC and CBD, and come in various forms, such as Cannabis Flower, Oils, Vape Cartridges, Capsules, and pastilles.

Is medical cannabis legal in the UK?

Yes. Medical cannabis was legalised in November 2018 following amendments to the Misuse of Drugs regulations 2001.

Can my GP prescribe medical cannabis?

No. GP’s can not currently prescribe medical cannabis. Medical cannabis must be prescribed by a doctor on the specialist register. As such, to get a prescription, you will need to find a clinic from the list above, and will be required to pay for your medical cannabis on top of your clinic fees.

Is medical cannabis expensive?

The price of medical cannabis depends on each patients needs. On top of clinic fees (which can be seen on the list of clinics above), you will be required to pay for your prescriptions at your pharmacy. Currently prices start from:

Cannabis Flower - Starting from £5 a gram
Cannabis Oils - Starting from £2.00/ml
Vape Cartridges - Starting from £98/ml
Capsules & Pastilles - Starting from £1.66 each

Note: Information may change from time to time, we will do our best to keep it up to date.

What health conditions can I get medical cannabis for?

Medical cannabis can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. In most cases, you need to have tried 2 conventional treatments or medications for your health condition to be eligible.

Here are some examples of conditions you can treat with medical cannabis. It is worth noting, there are other conditions you can treat, and only some clinics will treat certain conditions.

Condition Examples:
Chronic Pain, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Joint Pains, Back Pain, Migraines, EDS, Crohn’s Disease, IBS, ADHD, Anxiety, PTSD, Epilepsy, MS, Chronic Fatigue, Cancer Pain