In 2014, Wales was the first UK nation to allow a specific cannabis medication to be legally prescribed. In 2018, the Senned – Welsh Parliament – was the first political body in the UK to officially vote to petition the national government to legalise medical cannabis. Which then happened, across the UK, later that year. But what is the situation now?
Well, first off medical cannabis is now available on prescription in Wales from private clinics. This article will discuss what the landscape is like for patients, businesses and other key stakeholders in the discussion, how it got to where it is today, and where medical cannabis in Wales might go from here.
The Legal Landscape in Wales Today
Now legal across the UK, in 2025 there are dozens of clinics providing Welsh patients access to medical cannabis in various forms. There are even several locations for pharmacy collections in Wales. Although, access to these in rural areas are limited and delivery remains the main option for patient access.
If you’re looking to start treating your condition with cannabis, then medical cannabis clinic reviews will surely be of help. Expert advice will be important in guiding you to the right clinic that fits your needs, from price point to medication selection or even location for physical collection.
Cannabis-derived medication Sativex was first legally prescribed in Wales in 2014. That is because the drug was legalised for the NHS in 2010, but The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended NHS England and Wales reject its use – advice the national healthcare provider followed (until 2019).
This made Wales somewhat of a pioneer in the space, as Sativex was the first legally prescribed cannabis-based pharmaceutical in the world.
Patient Impact and Access Trends
Although concrete numbers aren’t available, some 60,000 people in the UK are medical cannabis patients currently. Wales has about 5% of the UK’s population. Extrapolating from that, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume at least several thousand Welsh patients are currently treating their conditions with legal medical cannabis.
Among the kind of conditions that are suitable for the treatment,
cannabis for depression is a relatively common prescription from UK clinics today. Studies have shown new medical cannabis patients report improvements across many symptoms of this increasingly common mental health problem after starting treatment, including:
- Increased motivation to undertake and enjoyment in activities
- Lessening of insomnia symptoms
- Increased appetite
- Decreased levels of anxiety
While further clinical study is needed to confirm causation, patient reports are a very promising sign of efficacy in this area. Other commonly prescribed for conditions like chronic pain and muscle spasticity show similarly promising results in scientific trials.
Challenges and Misunderstandings in Wales
The UK cannabis market does face several challenges moving forward. For patients, easier access, lower prices and decreased stigma around medical cannabis are important.
Interestingly, Flintshire County Council recently became one of the first councils in the UK to officially undertake steps to enforce anti-discrimination protections for medical cannabis patients. Although covered under UK law, some patients find enforcement is patchy – and Flintshire has decided it will be educating police and public officials on how to deal with legal medical cannabis patients in public.
For example, medical cannabis patients should be allowed to vape inside in public venues without being forced into smoking areas where they face second hand tobacco smoke. The initiative also involved improving awareness of medical cannabis law in North Wales Police. Some councillors admitted misunderstanding the law before the motion was tabled by councillor David Coggins Coogan.
For example, many people (mistakenly) believe medical cannabis is legal to smoke and are concerned about pungent smells in public. This is not the case. Prescribed medical cannabis flower is only for vaping – which has much more discrete and less pungent aroma than burning – and there are many other methods of cannabis treatment that don’t smell at all.
How the Business is Changing in the UK and Wales
On the supply side, there are more clinics opening for supply of UK customers than ever before. There are also now multiple physical pharmacy collection locations in Cardiff for Welsh patients to pick up supply in person.
Although prices remain relatively high, due to a bottleneck on supply because of tight regulations, that could change as more medical growers come into the market.
This leads nicely into the business side of the equation. The UK market for medical cannabis is projected to be worth some £1 billion annually by 2030. However, if the situation stays as it is now, a significant chunk of that money won’t benefit the UK economy.
That’s because, despite being one of the very largest producers and stockpiles of medical cannabis in the world, only a small percentage of UK-grown medical weed is supplied directly to patients. The majority is sold abroad for medication, and then clinics import medical cannabis from abroad to give to UK patients.
Although there are no licensed direct to patient cannabis farms in Wales yet, Scotland saw its first one open in 2024. Wales has proven a leader in this field among UK nations so far – so it is possible the country could attract more investment in this area as it joins the quiet medical cannabis revolution.
If the situation were to change, the medical cannabis business could employ tens of thousands more British workers. While opening up the market to hundreds of thousands more patients that could recieve medical relief from pain and other conditions.
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified doctor or healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. Only use authorised and licensed medical distributors when purchasing medical products or treatments.
