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Scientists have developed a new compound to harnesses the pain-relieving properties of cannabis without any unwanted side effects, pointing to a possible alternative to opioids. In the search for alternative pain relievers, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis...

In a new survey of UK doctors, 84% said they would be open to prescribing medical cannabis for chronic pain if it were part of the NHS toolkit. The findings indicate there may be significant support among doctors for widening access to medical cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain...

The preliminary findings from Switzerland’s seven active pilot trials, involving around three per cent of the country’s active cannabis consumers, have been published by a local university. Just days after Switzerland announced it was positioning itself to become the first European country to...

In a new research paper, mothers using medical cannabis to manage their health say it helps them to be ‘more present’ and ‘tolerant’ parents. A new study, funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, has explored the experiences of mothers using medical cannabis to manage a range of...

Drug policy experts have backed a family’s call for regulatory reform to protect patients travelling to Ireland with legal cannabis medication. Jason Pickering was making the trip to Ireland to visit his late father’s grave, when his cannabis medication was seized at Dublin Airport on 23...

UK medical cannabis clinic, Releaf, is investing in an ambitious new research programme to collect critical real-world evidence on the effects of medical cannabis treatments. Could it help bridge the knowledge gaps and bring regulators on board? Regulators and medical professionals have...

Switzerland has approved a draft proposal to establish a fully commercial adult-use cannabis market, putting the country in pole position to be the first in Europe to do so. A new draft for a federal law, which would enable citizens to legally ‘grow, buy, possess and consume cannabis,’ was...

The UK’s first fully-licensed EU-GMP medical cannabis cultivation facility has opened its doors to doctors, as its first products were made available on prescription for patients earlier this month. After five years and over £10 million in investment, Dalgety has become the first facility in...

Since the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK in 2018, its integration into mainstream healthcare has faced significant hurdles. While private clinics have provided access to cannabis-based medicines (CBMPs), many healthcare professionals remain sceptical, largely due to outdated...

A new research partnership between the University of Malta and the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis will study the differences between illegal cannabis and that which is accessed through licensed associations. The agreement, which will see the University of Malta and the ARUC...

Europe’s first patient-led event will return next month with a focus on the medicinal use of cannabis in chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Following a successful launch in Madrid in October, We, The Patients, will host its first event in Switzerland on 1 March at the Resident Zürich Seefeld...

Via Business of Cannabis Spain’s long-awaited medical cannabis program has finally taken a step forward as a draft of a Royal Decree has been sent to the European Union for approval. If approved, this should give Spanish patients legal access to medical cannabis for the first time in the...

Written by: Releaf’s Clinical Dr Alex Van Heerden After years prescribing opioids, Dr Alexander Van Heerden, a clinical doctor at Releaf with a background in emergency medicine, believes medical cannabis should be considered a first-line treatment option rather than an alternative. The Opioid...

New findings, from the largest study of its kind, suggest cannabis use may be linked to a decline in working memory among young adults. The new study published in JAMA Network Open explores the effects of both recent and lifetime cannabis use on brain function during cognitive tasks in over...

Via Business of Cannabis The first parliamentary debate on medical cannabis in the UK under the new Labour administration has shattered hopes of a more progressive stance on reform. Despite impassioned speeches from members of various parties, unanimously calling for the UK’s ‘patchwork’...

Canadian researchers have developed a unique method to allow for standardized cannabis dosing among different consumption methods. Researchers at UBC Okanagan have created an Index of Cannabis Equivalence (ICE), a unique approach to standardized cannabis dosing across different consumption...

The Czech Republic is continuing to make progress on an ambitious overhaul of its drug policies, with sweeping reforms aimed at creating a regulated market for low-risk psychoactive substances and addressing long-standing issues in medical cannabis access. Starting July 2025, the sale of...

UK brand, HEMPE, has secured NSF certification for its CBD gel, giving it the green-light for use among professional athletes and military personnel. The Dorset-based brand was founded by former boyband star and commando, Farard Darver, following an injury in Afghanistan. HEMPE’S CBD gel is...

The airline Jet2 has apologised to a medical cannabis patient—and is said to be ‘reviewing its policies’—after their medication was confiscated on a flight from Belfast. David Toms from Belfast, who is prescribed cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain and anxiety, was flying to Antalya in...

The UK Government is being sued by a CBD business for £3.4m, in the latest major challenge to its mishandling of legal hemp. Ocean Development (Dorset) Ltd. and connected retail business CBD Flower Shop Ltd. are seeking damages from the Home Office amid allegations of ‘unlawful conduct’ after a...