Medical cannabis is legal in the UK when prescribed appropriately, but it is not available over the counter and cannot be obtained simply by asking your GP. Getting a prescription involves a clinical assessment by a suitably qualified specialist prescriber. Knowing how to get a medical cannabis prescription in the UK means understanding that eligibility does not guarantee a prescription. The final decision is always clinical.¹
Key Takeaways
- Medical cannabis can only be prescribed by an appropriately qualified specialist clinician, not a GP.
- A GP referral is not required to access a private specialist consultation.
- A diagnosis alone does not guarantee a prescription. Individual clinical assessment determines suitability.
- A prescribing decision is followed by pharmacy dispensing and ongoing clinical review.
- Medical cannabis has been prescribed only five times on the NHS since it became legal in 2018.
Is Medical Cannabis Legal in the UK?
Yes. Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) became legally prescribable in the UK in November 2018. Medical cannabis is distinct from recreational cannabis, which remains a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is illegal to possess or supply.¹ A prescription is required because CBPMs are prescription-only medicines subject to controlled drug regulations. They cannot be purchased, obtained informally, or obtained without a clinical assessment from a qualified prescriber.
Who Can Prescribe Medical Cannabis?
Specialist doctors on the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register can prescribe CBPMs where clinically appropriate for an individual patient. GPs do not normally initiate CBPM treatment, though they may be involved in wider care. The prescribing decision must come from an appropriately qualified clinician following an individual assessment. Both NHS specialists and private specialist clinicians can prescribe, though the routes and access differ significantly.
Can You Get a Medical Cannabis Prescription Through the NHS?
NHS prescribing of CBPMs is available but remains limited to a small number of conditions where there is established clinical guidance. These include certain severe treatment-resistant epilepsies, multiple sclerosis (MS)-related spasticity, and chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. Medical cannabis has been prescribed only five times on the NHS since it became legal in 2018.² For most patients, private specialist clinics represent another route to a specialist assessment, not a better route, but one that is currently more accessible for a wider range of conditions.
How to Get a Medical Cannabis Prescription Privately
The private medical cannabis prescription UK process follows a structured clinical pathway.
Step 1: Check Whether You May Be Eligible
Before booking a consultation, it is worth understanding what a clinician may consider. This typically includes your confirmed diagnosis, the severity and impact of your symptoms on daily life, which treatments you have already tried and how they performed, your current medications, relevant mental and physical health history, and your overall clinical suitability. The medical cannabis prescription process in the UK begins with an eligibility check, which gives an initial indication of whether a consultation is likely to be worthwhile. Completing it does not mean you qualify or will receive a prescription.
Step 2: Complete Your Medical Information
Clinicians need specific information to make a safe and informed assessment. You will typically need to provide details of your diagnosis and medical history, your symptoms and how they affect your daily life, your previous treatments and their outcomes, your current medications, any known intolerances or contraindications, and relevant GP or specialist letters and records. LeafEase explains what medical records are needed for a cannabis consultation and how to request them in practice.
Step 3: Book a Consultation With a Specialist Clinician
A consultation is not optional. It is the clinical process through which a specialist reviews your history, discusses your symptoms and treatment experience, considers your current medication and potential interactions, and discusses your treatment goals. At LeafEase, consultations take place by video with a GMC-registered specialist clinician. No GP referral is needed to book.
Step 4: Your Clinician Assesses Whether Medical Cannabis Is Appropriate
Completing a pre-screening or eligibility check does not mean a prescription is guaranteed. The clinician makes the final prescribing decision after reviewing your medical history, current condition, previous treatment history, and the potential risks and benefits for your individual circumstances. How to get prescribed medical cannabis UK is ultimately a clinical question, not a process question. Medical cannabis is not appropriate for everyone, and an honest assessment protects patient safety.
Step 5: Receive a Prescription If Clinically Appropriate
If the clinician determines that a CBPM prescription is clinically appropriate, the prescription is issued and sent to a licensed dispensing pharmacy. The pharmacy verifies, dispenses and arranges delivery of your medication. Medication is delivered to your home in plain, discreet packaging with no indication of the contents on the outside.
Step 6: Start Treatment and Continue Clinical Monitoring
Receiving a prescription is not the end of the process. Ongoing clinical monitoring is part of safe prescribing. Follow-up consultations allow your clinician to review how treatment is working, monitor for unwanted effects, check interactions with other medicines, and make any appropriate adjustments. Read what happens after a medical cannabis prescription is issued for more on what ongoing care involves.
What Conditions Can Medical Cannabis Be Prescribed For?
There is no universal approved conditions list. NHS England confirms there is no legal restriction specifying which indications can be prescribed for; suitability is a clinical decision.³ LeafEase supports patients across conditions including chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia and neurological conditions. Condition-specific guides cover the relevant evidence for each in more detail.
What Do You Need to Get a Medical Cannabis Prescription?
Clinicians typically need your confirmed diagnosis and medical history, details of your symptoms and daily impact, your previous treatments and their outcomes, current medications, and relevant GP or specialist letters. Requirements vary by clinic and individual circumstances. A specialist will advise on anything additional at consultation stage.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Medical Cannabis Prescription?
From initial enquiry to first delivery, most patients receive medication within one to three weeks, depending on appointment availability, records gathering and pharmacy processing. Read how long the full approval process takes for a full stage-by-stage breakdown.
How Much Does a Medical Cannabis Prescription Cost?
Consultation fees, ongoing care costs and medication costs are separate and vary depending on the clinic and the treatment prescribed. For current information on LeafEase’s consultation fees, subscription options and medication costs, see the LeafEase pricing page.
Can My GP Prescribe Medical Cannabis?
GPs cannot initiate CBPM treatment. Only doctors on the GMC Specialist Register can do this. A GP may share records and be involved in wider care, but the prescribing decision sits with the specialist. The difference between NHS and private specialist access is primarily one of condition range and availability, not clinical standards.
What Happens After You Get a Prescription?
Once issued, the process moves through pharmacy dispensing, treatment start, follow-up consultation, clinical monitoring, and prescription review. Ongoing clinical oversight is what distinguishes prescribed medical cannabis from any supplement. If you are ready to explore whether a specialist assessment may be appropriate, you can complete LeafEase’s online eligibility check as a first step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I am not prescribed at my first consultation?
The clinician may need further records, recommend completing conventional treatment first, or determine a CBPM is not appropriate. An initial outcome is not always permanent. At LeafEase, if a prescription is not issued at the first consultation, the consultation fee is refunded in full.
How long does it take to get a medical cannabis prescription in the UK?
From eligibility check to first delivery, the process commonly takes one to three weeks depending on appointment availability, records gathering and pharmacy processing time. No clinic can guarantee specific approval timelines.
References
1] GOV.UK (2018) Government announces that medicinal cannabis is legal. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-that-medicinal-cannabis-is-legal Accessed: 3 September 2026].
2] The Pharmaceutical Journal (2023) Demystifying medical cannabis: five years on from legalisation. Available at: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/feature/demystifying-medical-cannabis-five-years-on-from-legalisation Accessed: 3 September 2026].
3] NHS England (2023) Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs). Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/cannabis-based-products-for-medicinal-use-cbpms/ Accessed: 3 September 2026].
