UK Medical Cannabis Awareness Month: Campaigners, Clinicians and Industry Leaders Join Forces to Drive Momentum

OG article by News Editor

November 20, 2025

The article outlines the expansion of Medical Cannabis Awareness Week into a full month in 2025, marking seven years since the 2018 rescheduling of medical cannabis in the UK. Initiated by patient advocacy group PLEA in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, the event now involves over 30 organisations collaborating on awareness campaigns, misinformation dispelment, and stigma reduction via social media and in-person activities. This occurs amid the Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs' review of the legislative framework for prescribing cannabis-based medicinal products (CBPMs), with stakeholders including clinics, producers, pharmacists, advocates, scientists, and charities contributing. Key highlights include the Medcan Family Foundation's parliamentary event on November 4, featuring a video with over 1 million views and 20,000 action page visits, plus a new randomised control trial for CBPMs in treatment-resistant epilepsy. End Our Pain campaigners shared patient stories, with over 600 signatures on an open letter demanding NHS access funding and a public inquiry into 2018 law implementation. The Cannabis Industry Council Awards on November 6 honoured contributions, with winners such as Dr Luisa Searle (Clinician of the Year), Dr Simon Erridge and Dr Mikael Sodergren (Contribution to Science), Guy Coxall (Social Impact), Jamie Bartley (Green Award), and Leila Simpson (Unsung Hero). We, The Patients hosted an educational event on November 7 at Charterhouse, allowing patient medication for the first time in its history, described as a moment of connection and hope. The Talman Group's event on November 10 focused on market trends and networking for investors. Upcoming is the Cannabis Health Symposium on November 25, offering CPD-accredited education for clinicians on integrating CBPMs into treatments, with presentations, case studies, and practical guidance.