“Medical cannabis” and “medicinal cannabis” are both used in reliable UK information. The NHS page itself is headed “Medical cannabis”, while legislation and professional guidance use more precise phrases such as “cannabis-based product for medicinal use” (CBPM). The important distinction is not which synonym a person chooses; it is whether the product is a prescribed medicine and what legal and clinical rules apply to it.
Key takeaways
- Medical cannabis and medicinal cannabis are ordinary synonyms in UK patient information.
- CBPM is a narrower legal definition introduced for products meeting specified composition, presentation and intended-use criteria.
- “Cannabis-based medicinal product” is NICE terminology; it does not mean every product containing cannabis has the same licence or evidence.
- A licensed medicine, an unlicensed prescribed CBPM and a CBD food product have different regulatory status.
- Marketing phrases such as “medical-grade” do not prove that an item is prescribed, licensed or lawful for a particular use.
- Ask what the exact product is, who prescribed it, how it is supplied and what evidence applies rather than judging it by one word.
The terms in official guidance
The NHS uses “medical cannabis” in patient-facing language. NICE refers to “cannabis-based medicinal products”. The 2018 regulations define a “cannabis-based product for medicinal use in humans” using legal criteria, and NHS England and the GMC often shorten this to CBPM.
Those wording choices overlap, but they are not a quality ladder. Saying “medicinal” rather than “medical” does not make a product more legitimate. In a legal or clinical document, read the definition attached to the term and check whether it concerns a licensed medicine, an unlicensed product, prescribing authority, pharmacy supply or general information.
Four categories patients may encounter
Licensed cannabis-based medicine
A medicine with a UK marketing authorisation has been assessed for specified indications, formulation and use. Its licence is product-specific; it does not license cannabis in general or prove that the medicine is appropriate for every patient.
Unlicensed prescribed CBPM
Many products supplied through specialist cannabis clinics are unlicensed medicines. A specialist may decide that one is clinically appropriate for an individual patient, with the additional safeguards and responsibilities described by the GMC and MHRA. “Unlicensed” is a regulatory fact that should be explained during consent, not a synonym for illegal.
CBD food or supplement
Retail CBD products are not the same as a prescribed CBPM. A food product cannot lawfully be marketed with medicinal claims unless it has the relevant medicines authorisation. Its availability on a shelf does not make it a substitute for a prescription, and CBD can interact with medicines.
Cannabis outside the prescribing route
Calling a product “medical”, “medicinal”, “therapeutic” or “medical-grade” does not create a prescription or change controlled-drug law. Home-grown or informally supplied cannabis is not converted into a lawful medicine because someone uses it for symptoms.
Questions that cut through the wording
Ask:
- What is the exact product and formulation?
- Is it a licensed medicine, an unlicensed prescribed medicine, or a food product?
- Is there a prescription for this named patient?
- Who is responsible for prescribing, dispensing and follow-up?
- What evidence, material risks and uncertainties apply to this use?
- What should the patient do if the label, supply or response changes?
You do not need to use professional shorthand to ask for care. A clinician should explain the product and decision in plain English. The medical cannabis UK overview explains access, and what makes a cannabis prescription valid covers the documents and supply route. Visitors who recognise the word “marijuana” can use the UK travel and terminology guide.
Read next
- Medical cannabis in the UK
- Licensed cannabis medicines in the UK
- CBD versus THC in a prescription context
- Prescription cannabis oil versus retail CBD
Source trail
- NHS: Medical cannabis
- NHS England: Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs)
- NICE NG144: Cannabis-based medicinal products – last reviewed 20 May 2025
- GOV.UK: Rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans
- GMC: Information for doctors on cannabis-based products for medicinal use
- MHRA: Supply of unlicensed medicinal products
- MHRA: Statement on products containing cannabidiol (CBD)
