Questions people actually ask.

Can cannabis-based medicines be prescribed in the UK?

Since 1 November 2018, UK law has allowed cannabis-based medicines to be prescribed. Only a doctor on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register can start a prescription, and whether one is appropriate for a particular person is that doctor's decision. Nearly all prescriptions are private rather than NHS. The route from first enquiry to a decision is set out in the explainer.

Is medical cannabis legal in Scotland?

Yes, on prescription. UK law has allowed cannabis-based medicines to be prescribed since 1 November 2018. That law applies in Scotland in the same way as in England and Wales. Only a doctor on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register can start a prescription for an unlicensed cannabis-based medicine (Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, regulation 16A). NHS inform, Scotland's health information service, says your GP can't prescribe medicinal cannabis. NHS prescriptions are rare, so nearly all prescribing is private.

Independent clinics based in Scotland must be registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, which keeps a public register. Clinics based in England can see Scottish patients by video. Cannabis that hasn't been prescribed to you is still illegal to possess in Scotland, whatever you use it for. Since 21 October 2019, Scotland has had the same drug-driving limit for THC as England and Wales: 2 micrograms per litre of blood. The same medical defence applies for a medicine taken as prescribed, as long as you're not impaired. Many people aren't suitable for a cannabis-based medicine, and NHS inform's page is the official Scottish place to start reading. (Checked 17 October 2026.)

There's more in Medical cannabis in Scotland: how it works.

Is a "weed prescription" a real thing?

It's the phrase a lot of people use, so it's worth answering plainly. What people call a weed prescription is a private prescription for a cannabis-based medicine, written by a specialist doctor after a proper assessment and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy in labelled packaging with the patient's name on it. That label is what you'd show a police officer or an employer, and it's what separates a prescribed medicine from anything bought elsewhere. It's also why there's a clinical process rather than a form to fill in.

How does the process work?

It starts with a clinic. The clinic checks whether it can consider you and asks for a summary of your GP record. A specialist doctor whose specialty matches your condition holds a consultation, usually by video. A team at the clinic usually reviews the doctor's decision. If the doctor decides a prescription is appropriate, it goes to a specialist pharmacy, and follow-up reviews come after that. The answer can also be no, or not yet. The guide to the clinics covers what to ask along the way, and there's a checklist in Questions to ask any clinic.

How do clinics decide who to consider?

Usually three things: a diagnosed condition that clinics consider for cannabis-based medicines; conventional treatments tried without enough benefit, or not tolerated; and nothing in your history that makes it unsafe, such as a personal or close family history of psychosis, unstable heart disease, or pregnancy. Clinics set their own criteria within that, and a specialist doctor makes the final decision. The eligibility guide goes through it in detail.

What does a private cannabis prescription cost?

Three parts. An initial consultation fee, which varies between clinics. Smaller fees for follow-up reviews, every few weeks at first and then less often. And the medicine itself, which is the main ongoing cost and varies a great deal depending on what's prescribed and how much. If you're weighing up a clinic, ask two questions before you commit to anything: what's the total cost to a first prescription, and what's a realistic monthly figure for the plan the doctor proposes? There are more in Questions to ask any clinic. Some clinics offer subscription or access schemes that lower the cost in return for sharing your outcome data.

Can my GP prescribe it?

Not to start with. Only a doctor on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register can begin a prescription for a cannabis-based medicine. Once a specialist has started it, a GP can sometimes take over ongoing prescribing under a shared-care arrangement, but that's still uncommon. What your GP practice will do is provide the summary of your record that a clinic needs.

Is it available on the NHS?

Rarely. NHS prescribing is limited to a small number of licensed products for specific conditions, and very few patients receive one. Almost everyone in the UK who takes a cannabis-based medicine pays for it privately. That may change, but it's the honest position today.

Can I drive on a prescribed cannabis-based medicine?

It's an offence to drive with more than a tiny amount of THC in your blood, but the law gives you a medical defence if the medicine was prescribed to you and you're taking it as directed. That defence does not apply if you're impaired. So never drive if you feel any effect, follow your clinic's advice on timing, and keep your prescription evidence in the car. The driving guide explains what happens if you're stopped.

Will it show up on a drug test at work?

It will. THC from a prescribed medicine looks exactly the same on a test as THC from anywhere else, and tests can detect it for days or weeks. There's no law against working while taking a prescribed medicine, but your employer's own policy matters, especially in safety-critical jobs. If testing is a possibility, it's usually better to tell occupational health before a test than to explain afterwards. The work guide covers your options and your rights.

Can I take it abroad?

Sometimes, and it needs checking every time. Leaving the UK, the Home Office says you should be able to prove the medicine is yours, with a prescription or a letter from your clinician, and it asks people to email its Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit for advice about leaving the UK with controlled drugs. But the country you're visiting decides whether you can bring it in, and some treat cannabis as illegal whatever paperwork you have, including when you're only changing planes. Ask the embassy of every country you'll enter or pass through before you travel. The travel guide has the checklist.

I'm visiting the UK from abroad. What about my medicine?

Start with the border, because that's where visitors get into trouble. The rules of your own country apply when you leave and when you return, and UK rules apply when you arrive. The Home Office lets some visitors bring up to three months' supply of a controlled medicine prescribed to them at home, carried with them and with a letter from the prescriber, but some controlled drugs can't be brought into the UK at all without a licence. Check the Home Office guidance, and your own country's rules, before you travel, and if you're not sure, don't carry it. Whether anyone is prescribed a cannabis-based medicine in the UK is always a specialist doctor's decision, wherever they live. The guide for visitors to the UK goes through it country by country.

Are there cannabis doctors in Inverness?

Most clinics in the UK consult by video, and the specialist pharmacies post medicines to Highland and island addresses, so where you live matters less than you might think. There's a guide written for the Highlands.

What are the side effects?

The common ones are dose-related: drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, a foggy head, and for some people a lower mood. Clinics usually start with a low dose and increase it slowly for this reason. Anything you notice is worth raising with your prescribing clinic, and if you feel unwell and can't reach them, contact your GP or NHS 111, or call 999 in an emergency.

Is a prescribed cannabis-based medicine addictive?

Cannabis can be habit-forming for some people, which is why clinics screen for it before prescribing and check for it at reviews. A prescribed medicine, taken as directed at a steady dose under supervision, is a very different situation from unregulated use, but it's a fair question to ask your doctor about your own risk, and an honest answer about any cannabis you already use helps them answer it properly.

Who can I talk to before I decide anything?

Your GP, or the specialist already treating your condition, is the right person to talk to about your own options, including treatments other than cannabis-based medicines. The NHS page on medical cannabis is a good, independent place to start reading. For more independent information and support, there's a list of trusted resources.