Exploring, Accessing and Using Medical Cannabis
Developed by our Patient Working Group and Support Team with support from our Advisory Board, these resources are designed to support patients in making an informed decision when exploring medical cannabis treatment.
If you are new to medical cannabis treatment, it is recommended that you begin first with our Exploring Medical Cannabis section, before moving on to Accessing Medical Cannabis and then Using Medical Cannabis.
What is Medical Cannabis?
A drug of contraband for many years, the medical benefits of cannabis have more widely started to be recognised by researchers, health professionals and, of course, patients.
Read more >Glossary of Terms
With so many terms related to cannabis medicines it can become confusing for patients wishing to understand what is being referenced. Here is a handy glossary to help guide those less familiar.
Read more >Talking to Your Doctor About Medical Cannabis
Discussing a new treatment option with your doctor can be unnerving. This guidance is offered to help improve patient confidence in discussing medical cannabis with health care professionals, whilst signposting to resources that provide education and information for clinicians on how to prescribe medical cannabis.
Read more >Managing Stigma Around Medical Cannabis
Due to the history of medical cannabis, discussing this treatment option can be intimidating. This guidance is offered to help improve patient confidence in discussing medical cannabis with health care professionals, friends and family, whilst signposting to resources that provide education and information around medical cannabis.
Read more >Driving and Medical Cannabis?
Government guidance for driving when prescribed medicinal cannabis has not been updated since the law was changed in 2018, therefore a ‘grey area’ has emerged.
Read more >Accessing an NHS Prescription for Medical Cannabis
There are three CBMPs currently ‘licensed’ and available for prescription on the NHS for some conditions, where significant clinical evidence of safety and efficacy has been proven.
Read more >Accessing a Private Prescription for Medical Cannabis
With NHS prescriptions currently restricted to so few conditions, many patients are turning to private access to explore cannabis medicines as a treatment option.
Read more >How Much Does Medical Cannabis Treatment Cost?
When accessing private medical cannabis treatment, patients will need to fund both consultation and medication costs.
Read more >Medical Cannabis Access Scheme Directory
The purpose of the access scheme directory is to support patients in finding all the information that might be required in order to make an informed decision when exploring medical cannabis treatment options.
Read more >Medical Cannabis Clinic Directory
With many different options available, the information provided in our PLEA Clinic Directory is intended to support patients in finding all the information that might be required in order to make an informed decision when choosing a clinic to explore medical cannabis treatment.
Read more >Attending Your Medical Cannabis Appointment
It can be daunting attending a medical appointment, especially when seeing a new doctor to discuss a new treatment. The below information is shared to support patients in understanding what to expect during consultation and how to get the most out of a medical cannabis appointment.
Read more >Understanding Titration of Medical Cannabis
Titration is the process by which patients find the most effective dosage of a medicine for their symptoms, with the least possible negative side-effects. Clinicians will review each case individually and make appropriate recommendations for titration based on your health conditions, medical history, existing medications and how a patient responds to the new medication.
Read more >How to Get Started with Medical Cannabis Flower
For many patients, a prescription will be the first time they’ve seen cannabis flower in person. While the prescribing doctor should go over the basics of how to use it, it can be daunting to begin vaporising cannabis without detailed guidance. This article gives a brief overview of weighing, grinding, vaporising, and storing prescribed cannabis flowers.
Read more >How to Get Started with Medical Cannabis Oil
For many patients, a prescription will be the first time they’ve seen cannabis oil in person. While the prescribing doctor should go over the basics of how to use it, it can be daunting to begin using cannabis oils without detailed guidance. This article gives a brief overview of opening, measuring and consuming medical cannabis oils.
Read more >Medical Cannabis Card Directory
The information provided is intended to assist patients with comparing available medical cannabis cards.
Read more >Frequently Asked Questions
Take a read through our frequently asked questions on medicinal cannabis.
Read more >Other Useful Links
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Read more >All content on the PLEA website is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal guidance.
As a non-profit organisation, PLEA will only invest in projects that address accelerating access to prescribed CBMPs. We shall advocate for the patient community whilst remaining impartial and are not incentivised, influenced or motivated by financial gain. Our resources are offered to patients free of charge.