As a result, many people are left wondering which conditions qualify for medical cannabis and how they can access it.

This blog post aims to provide a comprehensive overview of what medical conditions qualify for cannabis in the UK.

1. Qualifying conditions under the UK Cannabis Act

The UK Cannabis Act states that medical cannabis can be prescribed to treat a range of conditions.

These conditions must be diagnosed by a specialist doctor in the field of neurology, pain management, palliative care, psychiatry, or oncology.

The qualifying conditions are: spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, intractable nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy, severe chronic pain, muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis, and other conditions where the specialist doctor sees a potential benefit.

Patients must also have failed to respond to conventional treatment, or have an intolerance to other treatments.

2. Criteria for prescribing cannabis-based medicinal products

The criteria for prescribing cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in the UK is set out in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. For a CBMP to be prescribed, the patient must have a clinical need that is severe, long-term, and cannot be met by existing treatments.

The medication should also be the most suitable option for the patient, and it must be prescribed in line with UK clinical guidelines.

Furthermore, the clinician must take into account the risks associated with the use of CBMPs, such as their potential to be misused, and be satisfied that the benefits to the patient outweigh the risks.

3. Accessing medical cannabis on the NHS

Accessing medical cannabis on the NHS is possible through a process known as the ‘specials’ system.

A doctor can prescribe a cannabis-based medicine for certain qualifying conditions if it is deemed to be an appropriate treatment for the patient.

To be eligible for a prescription, the patient must be deemed to have a condition that would not respond to conventional treatments. Medical conditions that can qualify for cannabis UK include epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, nausea, and vomiting.

In conclusion, cannabis has been legalised in the UK for medicinal purposes and there are a wide variety of medical conditions that may qualify for treatment with cannabis.

While there are still many conditions and illnesses not currently approved for treatment with cannabis, it is likely that more conditions will be added in the near future. It is best to speak to a medical professional to determine if cannabis may be an option for treating a medical condition.