Londoners are twice as likely as the rest of the UK to be confused about the legal status and availability of medical cannabis, even though it was legalised in 2018.

Almost 40% admit they had not heard about medical cannabis, nearly double the national average (21%). Some 10% believe medical cannabis is illegal, while 5% believe it can be purchased over the counter without a prescription.

According to a new study of 2,000 adults, across the UK, only one in five Londoners (21%) know that medical cannabis can be prescribed for certain health conditions by both NHS and private healthcare professionals and almost a third (30%) think it cannot be prescribed at all. Next to Northern Ireland (20%) it makes London (21%) the least informed region about the availability, use and legality of medical cannabis.

The research was commissioned by Wellford Medical Clinics, which legally prescribes for pain conditions, including chronic pain, arthritis, and neuropathic pain conditions. It was undertaken to assess people’s attitudes and perceptions of medical cannabis at a time when it is frequently making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Despite its legal status, access for patients through the health service remains at a standstill. While the NHS says it will consider prescribing for three conditions – epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and the side effects of chemotherapy – few patients with these conditions are able to get the help they require from the State. Thousands of patients with these or other eligible conditions are therefore obliged to seek a prescription from specialist consultants in private clinics.

Mike Morgan-Giles at the Cannabis Industry Council is concerned that such little progress has been made: “There are very few medical cannabis prescriptions on the NHS, despite more harmful medicines, such as opioids, being widely available. The vast majority of medical cannabis patients are instead prescribed via private clinics and pharmacies. The Cannabis Industry Council urges the Government to implement a reimbursement scheme for medical cannabis, thereby helping patients with the cost of their essential medication.”

The survey findings reveal the urgent need for better public education on medical cannabis, its availability, and its legal status. Despite legalisation, awareness remains low and raises concerns about the number of eligible patients prevented from accessing alternative treatment when first line licenced therapies haven’t provided sufficient benefit.

Joshua Roberts, Chief Business Officer for Wellford is concerned to see so little awareness and so much confusion over medical cannabis seven years since the UK government legalised its use: “The net result is that there are people suffering who shouldn’t be,” he says.

“Most worrying of all is that even some patients who have one of three specific conditions that the NHS will consider prescribing for, still believe that medical cannabis cannot be prescribed for any health conditions. This is particularly true in London where the research has indicated a clear lack of understanding of medical cannabis, and its benefits for certain health conditions.”