There are now estimated to be more than 100,000 medical cannabis patients in the UK. Find out if you qualify

Category: Conditions and Symptoms

Condition-led explainers that separate patient reality, evidence limits and specialist assessment.

Medical cannabis and cancer

Medical cannabis and cancer — MCPH article cover

What cancer is Cancer is not one disease but more than 200, grouped by the tissue and cell type where abnormal growth begins — carcinoma, sarcoma, leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and central nervous system cancers. The common feature is uncontrolled cell division that can invade nearby tissue and, in many cases, spread to distant sites through […]

Medical cannabis and OCD

Medical cannabis and OCD — MCPH article cover

What obsessive-compulsive disorder is Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterised by persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) that generate anxiety or distress, and by repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules. Compulsions are […]

Medical cannabis and stroke

Medical cannabis and stroke — MCPH article cover

What stroke is A stroke is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. There are two main types. Ischaemic stroke — about 85% of UK cases — is caused by a blood clot blocking an artery supplying the brain. Haemorrhagic stroke — about 15% — is caused […]

Medical cannabis for ALS (motor neuron disease)

Medical cannabis for ALS (motor neuron disease) — MCPH article cover

What ALS is Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), usually called motor neuron disease in the UK, causes progressive damage to the nerve cells that control movement, speech, swallowing and breathing. Cannabis research has examined symptom reports and animal models, but not a controlled treatment trial in people with ALS. Cannabis research on ALS (motor neuron disease) […]

Medical cannabis for Alzheimer’s and dementia

Medical cannabis for Alzheimer's and dementia — MCPH article cover

What Alzheimer's disease and dementia are Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of cases. It is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterised by the accumulation of extracellular beta-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, accompanied by chronic neuroinflammation, synaptic loss, […]