Medical cannabis became legal in the UK back in 2018, and since then, more and more people living with neurological conditions have been exploring it as an option, especially after years of trying treatments that just didn’t work.
Medical cannabis is not a magic fix, and it may not be for everyone. But for some people, it’s made a real difference. If you’ve been wondering whether it could be relevant to your situation, what follows covers five neurological conditions where cannabis-based medicines are being prescribed in the UK and what the evidence actually shows.
Key Takeaways:
- Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018 and can be prescribed for certain neurological conditions.
- Medical cannabis has been prescribed fewer than five times on the NHS since it became legal in 2018; patients access it through specialist private clinics.
- The strongest evidence is around epilepsy, MS spasticity, and nerve pain.
- Medical cannabis is not a first-line treatment; it is usually considered when other options have not worked.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Medical cannabis treatment requires a consultation with a qualified specialist clinician. If you are currently taking other medications, always inform your doctor or prescriber before starting any new treatment. The information in this article does not replace an individual clinical assessment. The conditions and criteria described are general patterns observed in UK clinical practice. Whether medical cannabis is appropriate for you can only be determined by a GMC-registered specialist after a full clinical assessment. To find out whether you may be eligible, visit LeafEase.
1. Epilepsy
For many people with epilepsy, medication controls seizures well enough. For others, it doesn’t, and that gap is significant. Around 30% of people with epilepsy continue to experience seizures despite treatment with anti-seizure medications. This is where the evidence for neurological conditions that may be treated with medical cannabis is strongest. In 2019, the NHS approved a cannabis-based medicine called Epidyolex for two serious forms of childhood epilepsy: Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, both of which cause frequent, hard-to-control seizures that often don’t respond to standard medication. [1]
Clinical trials showed it reduced how often seizures happened for kids who hadn’t improved on anything else. For families who had exhausted other options, this represented a genuine step forward. Adults with treatment-resistant epilepsy have also been able to access cannabis-based medicines through specialist private prescribers, though the evidence for adult epilepsy beyond those two specific conditions is still building. [2]
2. Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS can cause a lot of different symptoms, but one of the most frustrating for many people is spasticity, that constant muscle stiffness and cramping that makes everyday movement very difficult. There’s a licensed cannabis-based mouth spray called Sativex that’s approved in the UK specifically for MS-related spasticity. It contains both THC and CBD and is included in NICE guidance as an option for people who haven’t got relief from other treatments. [3]
For patients whose MS spasticity is not well controlled on conventional medication, Sativex or other cannabis-based medicines may be an option worth discussing with a neurologist or specialist prescriber.
3. Chronic Nerve Pain
Nerve pain is different from regular pain; it comes from damage or dysfunction in the nerves themselves, not from an injury or inflammation. It can show up as burning, shooting, or electric-shock-like sensations, and standard painkillers often don’t make much difference. [4]
Patients with chronic neuropathic pain are among the most commonly treated by UK medical cannabis clinics, making this one of the examples of neurological conditions where real-world prescribing experience is now considerable. A 2021 review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found cannabinoids had a modest but meaningful effect on nerve pain compared to other treatments. It is not a cure, but enough to matter when you’ve already tried everything else.
Nerve pain from conditions like diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, or other nerve disorders all fall into this category, making it one of the most relatable examples of neurological conditions that can be treated with medical cannabis.
Consider someone who has been living with neuropathic pain following a spinal cord injury for several years. They have tried two courses of prescribed medication, both of which offered some relief initially but not enough to restore normal daily function. Sleep is disrupted, concentration is affected, and standard painkillers have made little difference. This is the kind of history a specialist looks at when assessing whether medical cannabis is appropriate. The question is not whether the condition sounds serious enough. It is whether the treatments tried so far have provided sufficient relief.
4. Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome causes involuntary tics, movements, and sounds that are genuinely hard to control. For some people, symptoms ease up as they get older. For others, tics carry into adulthood and affect work, relationships, and confidence. The medications available either don’t help much or come with side effects that feel worse than the tics themselves.
A controlled trial published in Psychiatry Research in 2019 found that THC-containing cannabis medicine was linked to a significant drop in tic severity compared to other treatments in adults with Tourette syndrome. [5]
It’s not a common first-choice treatment, but for adults whose tics haven’t responded to other options, it’s something specialist prescribers in the UK opt for.
5. Chronic Migraine
Migraines affect around one in seven people in the UK; it’s one of the most widespread neurological conditions there is. But chronic migraine, where you’re dealing with 15 or more headache days a month, is a whole other level. It can completely take over your life, and a lot of people find that the usual preventive treatments just don’t do enough.
A 2020 study in the Journal of Pain found that cannabis was linked to a significant short-term reduction in migraine and headache severity. [6] The research is still catching up, but for people who’ve tried multiple preventive medications without much luck, it’s an increasingly relevant option to explore.
Could Medical Cannabis Be an Option for You?
If you’re living with one of these neurological conditions and haven’t found something that works, it might be worth having a conversation about medical cannabis.
At LeafEase, consultations take place by video with GMC-registered specialist clinicians, so there is no need to travel. Once a prescription is issued, medication is processed within 48 hours and delivered to your door in plain, discreet packaging with no indication of the contents on the outside. For patients who want ongoing support built in, the LeafEase Advantage subscription covers follow-up consultations with your clinician, continuity of care with the same specialist who knows your history, and free home delivery. Your clinician monitors how treatment is working and adjusts the formulation or dose around your daily routine where needed. The assessment is thorough. Your specialist looks at your history, what you’ve already tried, and whether cannabis-based medicine could realistically make a difference.
One concern that comes up regularly, particularly for patients already dealing with fatigue from their condition, is whether medication will leave them feeling groggy or foggy the next day. The answer depends on the formulation. CBD-dominant and lower-THC options are generally associated with less next-day sedation. Your clinician will factor in your daily routine, whether you drive, and your sensitivity to medication before recommending a starting point. If the first approach doesn’t feel right, the formulation gets adjusted.
You can check your eligibility in a few minutes to find out whether a consultation is the right next step for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which neurological conditions can be treated with medical cannabis in the UK?
The most commonly treated ones include epilepsy, MS-related spasticity, chronic nerve pain, Tourette syndrome, and chronic migraine. These are the neurological conditions where UK specialist prescribers have the most experience and where the evidence is most developed.
Can I get medical cannabis on the NHS?
In some very specific cases, yes. Epidyolex is available on the NHS for certain childhood epilepsy conditions, and Sativex can sometimes be prescribed for MS spasticity. But for most people, accessing medical cannabis means going through a private specialist clinic, since NHS prescribing is still quite limited.
Do I need my GP to refer me?
No. You can book a consultation with a private specialist prescriber like Leafease directly. It helps to have your medical records and a rough idea of what treatments you’ve already tried, but you don’t need a referral letter to get started.
What counts as a chronic neurological condition?
Chronic neurological conditions are long-term conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, or nerves. Things like MS, epilepsy, nerve pain syndromes, Tourette syndrome, and chronic migraine all fall into this category. What they have in common is that they need ongoing management rather than a one-off fix.
Is it safe?
Medical cannabis is generally well tolerated when it’s prescribed and monitored by a specialist. Like anything, it can have side effects: fatigue, dizziness, or changes in mood. Your prescriber will go through your full health history before recommending anything, so you’re not going in blind.
References
[1] NICE. (2019). Cannabidiol with clobazam for treating seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. Technology appraisal guidance [TA614]. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta614 [Accessed: 7 May 2026].
[2] Devinsky, O. et al. (2017). Trial of Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Seizures in Dravet Syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(21), pp.2011–2020. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1611618 [Accessed: 7 May 2026]
[3] NICE. (2014). Cannabis sativa extract (Sativex) for treating spasticity in multiple sclerosis. Technology appraisal guidance [TA369]. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta369 [Accessed: 7 May 2026].
[4] Aviram, J. & Samuelly-Leichtag, G. (2017). Efficacy of Cannabis-Based Medicines for Pain Management. Pain Physician, 20(6), pp.E755–E796. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28934780/ [Accessed: 7 May 2026].
[5] Müller-Vahl, K.R., Schneider, U., Koblenz, A., et al. (2002) Treatment of Tourette’s syndrome with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): a randomised crossover trial. Pharmacopsychiatry, 35(2), pp. 57–61. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11951146/ [Accessed: 7 May 2026].
[6] Cuttler, C. et al. (2020). Short and Long-Term Effects of Cannabis on Headache and Migraine. Journal of Pain, 21(5-6), pp.722–730. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31715263/ [Accessed: 7 May 2026].
