Medical cannabis, explained.
What medical cannabis is in the UK, who can be prescribed it, and how patients use it. General information, not medical advice.
What it is
Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) are pharmaceutical-grade medicines — flower, oils or capsules — made to a tested, consistent standard. Since November 2018 they have been Schedule 2 controlled drugs that specialist doctors can lawfully prescribe. Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) Regulations 2018
Who can be prescribed it
Usually adults with a diagnosed condition who have tried at least two other treatments without enough relief. Only a GMC-registered specialist can start a prescription — GPs cannot — and most are private. You can approach a clinic without a GP referral.
THC, CBD & the endocannabinoid system
THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid; it helps with pain, nausea and muscle relaxation. CBD is non-psychoactive, with calming and anti-inflammatory effects. Both act through the body's endocannabinoid system, and most prescriptions blend the two to suit the patient.
How it's taken
Patients use a dry-herb vaporiser, which heats the flower rather than burning it, or take oils and capsules. Smoking stays prohibited even with a prescription — which is why our vaporiser-only space is lawful.
Dosing
The principle is "start low, go slow." Patients titrate to the lowest effective dose under their prescriber's guidance. We can help you understand a device, but dosing decisions always sit with you and your clinician.
Conditions commonly treated
There is no fixed list — a specialist may prescribe where the clinical evidence supports it. Common areas include chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, MS-related spasticity, chemotherapy-induced nausea and treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Not sure where to start?
We're not doctors and we don't prescribe. But if you think medical cannabis might help and don't know where to begin, we'll point you to UK specialist clinics — no bias, no commission. The same goes for devices.
Prescribed cannabis-based medicines come in several forms. Which one suits a patient is a clinical decision, made with the prescriber.
Vapour (dried flower)
Dried flower goes into a dry-herb vaporiser, which heats it to release the cannabinoids as vapour rather than burning it. It is prescribed as named cultivars in sealed, labelled containers, with the THC and CBD content stated.
Oils & tinctures
Oils and tinctures are liquid preparations taken under the tongue with a dropper or oral syringe. They are dispensed in measured bottles with a defined cannabinoid concentration, which makes gradual dosing straightforward.
Capsules
Capsules hold a fixed, pre-measured dose of cannabis extract and are swallowed like any oral medicine. They are dispensed as standard pharmacy packs — a familiar, discreet format with predictable dosing.
Edibles
Edibles are cannabis medicines made to be eaten, such as pastilles. Taken orally, their effects build more slowly and last longer than inhaled vapour. They are dispensed as labelled, dose-controlled products on prescription.
Of these, only vapour is available on the premises — the dry-herb vaporiser is what our space is built around.
Flower is often described by strain type. These are broad characterisations, not precise rules, and each patient's response is individual.
- Indica — traditionally associated with more relaxing, body-centred effects.
- Sativa — traditionally associated with more uplifting, daytime effects.
- Hybrid — a cross of the two, blending characteristics in varying proportions.
Whatever the format or strain type, these products are dispensed in the UK only on a prescription from a registered specialist.
Why two flowers at the same THC can feel different.
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds behind each cultivar's smell — and a big part of why one suits you and another doesn't. They aren't the high, but the whole profile matters more than the THC number alone.
- Myrcene — earthy, musky; often in heavier, relaxing flower.
- Limonene — citrus; brighter, more uplifting profiles.
- Pinene — sharp, fresh, pine.
- Linalool — floral, lavender-like; calming in reputation.
- Caryophyllene — peppery; also interacts with the body's cannabinoid system.
A dry-herb vaporiser helps bring these out — lighter terpenes release at lower temperatures. More on terpenes in the blog.