The UK’s medical cannabis industry is now the second largest in Europe, second only to Germany, thanks to consistent and sustained growth over the last seven years.

While this has seen thousands of new patients gain access to medical cannabis, it still represents just a fraction of the addressable market in the UK.

According to Prohibition Partners, the UK’s current patient count (estimated at between 50k -60k) represents less than 10% of the total medical market, compared to Germany’s 65.4%.

This chasm between active patients and those who could potentially benefit from medical cannabis treatment is in large part due to glaring gaps in education among medical professionals, hindering both medical cannabis acceptance and prescription numbers since it was legalised in 2018.

Now, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) and Curaleaf Laboratories have formed a new partnership aimed at addressing this critical knowledge gap.

Education gap

Jonathan Hodgson, UK Managing Director of Curaleaf International, believes the company’s longstanding involvement and proven expertise in unlicensed medicines provide the perfect foundation for clinician training.

“A lot of the staff who have been involved since the original specials and unlicensed medicines route are still here, which gives us an advantage from a quality and a regulatory perspective,’ he said.

“We’ve helped patients and clinicians alike address unmet clinical needs through unlicensed medicines for a long time. While the adoption of medical cannabis is only in its infancy, we want to help widen access to this option.”

Curaleaf’s strategy has placed clinician engagement at its core, reflecting the central role doctors play in ensuring appropriate use.

“Providing education has always been hugely important to us,’ Hodgson continued.

“In order for us as a medical community to adequately support patients, it is important that healthcare professionals are able to access much-needed education on cannabis-based medicines so they can help their patients through guiding access or prescribing directly.”

Industry takes the lead

Curaleaf already runs workshops, in-practice support and tailored educational programmes for private providers, including clinics not yet prescribing cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs).

Its in-house training covers Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration, insurance, dosing and formulary advice, and prescription support. It also engages directly with clinicians through events such as the British Pain Society’s annual conference.

Through the new partnership, Curaleaf will support the MCCS in delivering CPD-accredited education programmes and serve as a central source of information for prescribers.

Professor Mike Barnes, Chair of the MCCS, welcomed the collaboration: “The Society is very grateful to have the support of Curaleaf Laboratories.

“We believe the shared values and vision of the team will enable us to continue our work empowering professionals with evidence-based CPD-accredited cannabis education, and we look forward to working together with the ultimate goal of enabling more patients to benefit from these therapies.”

Hodgson added: “Our partnership with MCCS solidifies our commitment to providing further education to prescribers and the wider HCP network in the UK. We have already made big waves in HCP education, and we look forward to further improving our programme with the help of the expertise of the MCCS.”

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Healthcare professionals attending the Cannabis Health Symposium next month will be able to earn CPD points to support their professional development. 

The Cannabis Health Symposium is a Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited event, meaning attendees can earn professional development credits as a result of their participation. 

The inaugural event, taking place on Tuesday 25 November at Conway Hall, London, is designed to provide UK healthcare professionals with expert-led, clinically grounded education on cannabis-based medicinal products. 

Bringing together expert-led presentations, clinical case studies, and practical workshops, the accreditation – issued in principle by the CPD Certification Service – recognises that the symposium meets stringent guidelines for educational quality, structure, and relevance, confirming the event as a credible source of structured, high-quality learning within the sector.

Why CPD is essential for medical cannabis clinicians

CPD is broadly defined as the continuing education of healthcare professionals following the completion of their formal training.

Most clinicians undergo continuous CPD training throughout their career to ensure their skills and knowledge are kept up to date, and that they are practicing safely. But it can also open new doors or demonstrate a commitment towards a particular specialty or area of expertise.

Having access to accredited evidence-based education and training is crucial for those interested in the field of cannabis-based medicine, where there is so much as is having the opportunity to learn from other peers and professionals face-to-face.

Only around 180 clinicians of the approximate 100,000 doctors on the GMC Specialist Register who are permitted to initiate a medical cannabis prescription, are currently doing so, equating to less than 1%.

With around 80,000 patients expected to receive medical cannabis treatment in the UK in 2025, the recruitment and training of more prescribers is crucial to meet the growing demand and ensure patients receive the best standard of care.

What attendees will learn from the event 

A key focus of the event will be around increasing access and improving patient care, by equipping clinicians, both in and out of the medical cannabis sector, with the confidence and tools to integrate these medicines into their practice.

Discussions will include governance and best practice, NHS integration, ensuring safety and consistency in CBPMs, and the science behind the endocannabinoid system. Expert-led presentations will also explore the current evidence-base for the use of cannabis in areas such as women’s health, psychiatry, neurodivergence and neurodegenerative conditions. 

A dedicated workshop space, facilitated by the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, will run parallel to the main programme throughout the day, offering a series of interactive, skills-focused sessions.

Each workshop will introduce core concepts in medical cannabis, including the endocannabinoid system, product types and formulations, clinical indications, prescribing processes, safety considerations, and monitoring.

Participants will also explore governance, regulation, and professional responsibilities, with opportunities to ask questions and learn from experienced prescribers.

Chair of the MCCS, Professor Mike Barnes said the symposium was expected to be a “significant step forward for clinicians”, potentially benefiting many thousands of patients as a result. 

Earn CPD points for medical cannabis training 

Presented in partnership with Curaleaf Laboratories and the UK’s Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS), the Cannabis Health Symposium is designed to provide UK healthcare professionals with clinically grounded education on cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs), to meet the growing patient demand for medical cannabis to treat a range of conditions.

Clinicians will earn CPD points from each session they attend during the symposium, and will be provided with official certification following the event.

View the full agenda here

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