Mamedica – the UK’s leading medicinal cannabis clinic – has reported a 400% increase in patient numbers in 2023 amidst the exponential growth of the industry in Britain. To keep up with demand, the firm says they are planning on hiring a staggering 200 more staff over the next two years. The licensed service, advocating for improved accessibility to a range of medical and natural solutions, offers bespoke treatment for a number of clinical and degenerative diseases across pain, psychiatry, neurology and cancer-related conditions. This involves tailored cannabis-based prescriptions, from oil to cannabis flower.

There has been a total of 89,239 medical cannabis prescriptions according to figures released by the NHS Business Service Authority (NHSBSA) since the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK in November 2018 and July 2022. However, fewer than five of these were made via the NHS with the public sector yet to fully embrace this form of medicine. As it stands, there are currently only three medical reasons for one to be eligible for a prescription of medical cannabis via the NHS, including:

Children and adults with rare, severe forms of epilepsy.
Adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy.
People with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis (MS)

However, after a series of high-profile cases in which medical cannabis has been highlighted as a vital lifeline for patients across the country, momentum is beginning to pick up in terms of support for its wider rollout. In late April, the UK parliament held a debate discussing the contribution of medical cannabis to the economy, which could also provide a much-needed £1bn boost if regulation around the sector is relaxed. Amongst issues raised, MPs also highlighted that the industry could create 100,000 new jobs at a time when mass layoffs are being seen across the country.

Jon Robson speaks about his founding story:
“I started my career in foreign exchange aged 16 and transitioned into trading within a year. Over 18 years in financial markets, I dealt for the likes of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS and subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway to name a few. Between 2011-2020, I traded equity derivatives at Sunrise Brokers and was instrumental in delivering revenue prior to its sale to BGC Partners.

“I took the decision to leave financial services upon hearing there were 10,000 privately paying medical cannabis patients in the U.K. I first became aware of cannabis around 20 years ago however, it wasn’t until I spent time in California – and visited a medical cannabis dispensary for the first time – that I realised the potential it had to improve the lives of people who were on much stronger medications. Ever since, I have been waiting for the opportunity to provide this service to patients in the U.K. and in June this year, MAMEDICA was launched.”