Medical Cannabis in the UK: The Road Ahead

UK Medical Cannabis Progress, and the challenges to come

The second speaker session on day one of the 2025 UK GDP Association Annual Conference came from Nik Sanghara, Director of Canna Strategy Ltd, who provided delegates with a thorough, evidence-based overview of how medical cannabis in the UK has evolved since legislation changed in November 2018 to permit cannabis (CBPM - unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans) as a medicinal product.

At a time when clinical research, prescribing practices and regulatory frameworks are rapidly changing, Nik’s session offered clarity and practical insight into where the sector stands, and where it might be headed.

Meet the Speaker: Nik Sanghara

Nik Sanghara brings more than 20 years of experience in pharmacy and pharmaceutical operations to his work. He is a registered Pharmacist, Regulatory Affairs Manager and a Responsible Person registered with both the MHRA and the Home Office, giving him a deep and practical understanding of the regulated supply chains from manufacture through to patient access.

Nik also holds registration as a Pharmaceutical Quality Management System (QMS) Lead Auditor with IRCA, reinforcing his quality centred approach to regulated medicines and distribution systems. With a career path spanning community pharmacy, wholesale operations and medical cannabis licensing, Nik is uniquely positioned to speak with authority on real-world challenges and opportunities in the UK medical cannabis arena.

About Canna Strategy

Canna Strategy Ltd was established with a clear mission: to improve access to high-quality, research-led medical cannabis in the UK. Formed from the expertise within the Paradigm Shift Consulting group, Canna Strategy focuses exclusively on the medical cannabis sector, providing end-to-end regulatory and operational support for organisations looking to bring products and services into the UK market.

This includes assistance with licensing, supply chain planning, Quality Management Systems (QMS), manufacturing authorisations, and wholesale distribution. All shaped with patient needs at the core.

Canna Strategy’s collaborative model draws on deep regulatory knowledge, practical supply chain experience, and long-standing relationships with regulatory bodies. Their work helps pharmaceutical focused organisations navigate a sector, that while growing, remains highly technical and heavily regulated.

2018 to Now: A Market in Motion

Nik began his session by taking conference delegates back to 2018, when the UK first updated its legal framework to allow Cannabis-Based Products for Medicinal use (CBPMs) to be prescribed. Prior to this point, research and clinical uptake were limited in the UK compared to other countries such as Canada. Since then, the speed of development, both in research and in patient demand, has accelerated significantly.

What is clear today is that research is now an ongoing activity, encompassing clinical trials in areas such as:

• • Childhood epilepsy
  • Chronic pain syndromes
  • Nausea associated with chemotherapy

While evidence is still building, the trajectory is towards a more robust evidence-base, one that could eventually influence broader NHS prescribing.

Doctors, Prescriptions and the NHS Gap

One of the most striking points Nik shared was the differences between private and NHS prescribing:

• • • In 2024, around 300,000 private medical cannabis prescriptions were dispensed in the UK
    • In 2025, that number was expected to reach over 500,000
    • By contrast, the NHS issues approximately 5,000 prescriptions annually.

These figures underscore both growing patient and clinician interest and the fact that medical cannabis remains largely outside mainstream NHS treatment pathways. Prescribers must be GMC-registered specialists, and cannabis is generally prescribed only when other options have been exhausted, a factor that also limits wider NHS engagement.

Where Medical Cannabis is Used Today

Nik highlighted the three main clinical areas where private prescriptions are most common:

• • • Chronic pain: 49%
    • Psychiatric Conditions (PTSD, Tourette’s, depression): 42%
    • Neurological Conditions (epilepsy, MS): 6%

This distribution reflects both the breath of patient need and the growing acceptance of medical cannabis as a treatment option, particularly in complex or conditions where traditional treatment pathways may fail.

Licensed Products vs Unlicensed Products (Specials)

Despite rapid growth in prescribing, as of mid-2025 the UK only has three licensed medical cannabis products. The vast majority of prescriptions are written by specialists for unlicensed medicines, commonly referred to as Specials, which, although legate, introduce challenges in quality control, standardisation, and consistent clinical approach.

Developing more licensed products is widely seen as a critical next step, not only to boost clinician confidence but also to support consistent, reproducible and safe treatment options for patients.

Ongoing Research and the Road to NICE Approval

Nik outlined several active or planned clinical study areas:

• • • Paediatric epilepsy
    • Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Pain
    • Chemotherapy

Ultimately, for NHS prescribers to adopt medical cannabis more widely, larger clinical data sets and, crucially, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approval are needed. Positive results from ongoing trials will be essential in making this shift.

In addition, recent government review has been announced, expected to take approximately three years, which will influence regulatory direction and potentially shape the future for NHS adoption.

Quality Control and Supply Chain Realities

As Nik emphasised, one of the ongoing challenges for the industry is quality control across the supply chain.
As cannabis based medicinal products are derived from natural plant materials, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency in cannabinoid profiles, potency and safety remains a challenge. These variances pose regulatory and clinical hurdles, particularly when compared to synthetic or more standardised pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients.

Looking forward

Closing his session, Nik was optimistic but measured about the future.
The medical cannabis sector in the UK is still very much in its infancy, but it shows increasing clinical relevance and patient demand. As research deepens, especially in expanding indications such as pain, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and complex psychiatric conditions, the industry could play a more integrated role in the UK healthcare pathways.

The combination of ongoing trials, quality improvements, regulatory evolution and shifting prescribing practices points to a sector poised for meaningful growth.

Looking to enter the Medical Cannabis Market?

If your organisation is looking to enter the medical cannabis market, Canna Strategy can help support you on your journey. Visit Canna Strategy to find out more.

In addition, GDPTraining.co.uk offer a range of online training courses which cover medical cannabis supply, including:

Introduction to the Management of Controlled Drugs

Unlicensed Medicines

 

Registering for the 2026 conference

The UK GDP Association C.I.C (Community Interest Company) is delighted to announce that our third Annual Conference will be held on Tuesday 16th June 2026 and Wednesday 17th June 2026, in Northampton.

There are discounted tickets available for UK GDP Association members, members can save £100 when attending both conference days. However, our commitment to low-cost, high-value educational content means that conference tickets will still be the best value whether you chose to join as members or not.

Membership is only £29 +VAT per individual, per year and offers reduced costs on consulting, training and conference tickets. If you buy tickets for both conference days, there is an even greater discount. Costs for non-members is just £224.50 per day, a fraction of the cost of other industry events!

In addition, on the evening of Tuesday 16th June, we will be hosting an evening event of dinner, networking, and even some of Dave’s infamous karaoke, for just £49 +VAT per person. This is a fundraising dinner in aid of the MVA Society.

Please see here for more information on the conference and to book your conference and evening dinner tickets.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you all at the conference!