When a cannabis clinic issues a prescription to a patient, the patient has the right to send it to whichever pharmacy they choose for fulfilment. However, in recent months, several patients have reported that their requests have been denied or accompanied by a hefty admin fee. In his latest column,…

Cannabis users commonly report that getting high helps them to relax and unwind, but new research suggests the relationship between cannabis and stress may be more complicated than just THC.

Cannabis use among US high school students has fallen to its lowest level on record, continuing a long-term decline that has coincided with the expansion of legal adult-use cannabis across the country.

The two-day retreat will bring together 25 women for discussions on menstrual health, period pain, nutrition, exercise and the role of medical cannabis.

Patients prescribed medical cannabis for inflammatory arthritis reported lower pain levels, better sleep and improved quality of life for up to two years.

Mountain fortresses, disguised assassins carrying out daring public executions, promises of paradise and a legend that is still being told today. The Hashashins became one of history’s most enduring stories, but were these feared killers really as high as they say?

Patients experiencing moderate to severe vomiting reported a clinically meaningful improvement within four months of starting medical cannabis, with reductions also seen in nausea, appetite loss, anxiety, depression and pain.

Cannabis works on different brain receptors to psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin. Different chemistry, different drug. Yet when researchers gave people clinical doses of THC in the same controlled setting used for magic mushroom therapy, some participants couldn't tell the difference.

Researchers found that endocannabinoid levels rose more sharply during a long-distance run than during a matched walk of the same length, and remained elevated after the finish.

A Swiss pilot study has found that selling regulated cannabis through pharmacies encourages consumers to switch to less harmful consumption methods such as vaporisation, without increasing overall use.

The man, who worked at a Royal Mail logistics centre, would identify parcels suspected of containing drugs before removing them and relabelling them for redelivery to other addresses, including his own.

Assessing eligibility for medical cannabis isn’t just a box-ticking exercise, and "exhausting treatments" doesn't mean what most patients assume. In his latest article, Dr Simon Erridge explains the real criteria, the multi-stage review process, and why your GP records tell only half the story.

New NHS figures show a record 96 million antidepressant items were prescribed in England last year to over 9 million people, with the sharpest rises concentrated in the most deprived areas and among young people. What is behind the numbers – and why are cannabis and psychedelic therapies still almost…

Analysis of 14 clinical trials has found that CBD can raise blood levels of THC when the two are taken together, challenging a long-held belief that CBD ‘softens’ the effects of THC.

A trial of 108 regular cannabis users found that they experienced fewer early or extra heartbeats on days they inhaled cannabis compared to days they abstained, a result researchers say directly contradicted what they expected to find.

Two bags of flower, identical in appearance. One contains natural CBD, the other has been sprayed with a lab-made synthetic cannabinoid potent enough to put someone in hospital. Do you know which one you're smoking?

Officials in Barcelona say they have opened investigations into the "vast majority" of its cannabis social clubs as part of a sweeping new anti-drugs strategy. It is not the first time the city has threatened to wipe out its famous club scene, but the scale, tone and timing of Plan…

A University of Florida survey of 108 people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis found that most reported a better quality of life and reduced opioid use after turning to cannabis.

Women with chronic pain wait longer for diagnosis, are more likely to be told their symptoms are psychological, and are underrepresented in the research that informs treatment decisions.

A ten-week trial in Germany found that a prescription cannabis medicine cut nightmares in people with post-traumatic stress disorder, with more than a third of patients saying their nightmares stopped completely.

New research shows cannabis consumption levels in the US state have barely changed in the seven years since retail sales began, though methods of use have shifted dramatically away from smoking.

10 years ago, The Loop pulled off something that once seemed impossible. A space at a UK festival where punters could hand over a sample of their drugs to be tested. David Hillier, the only journalist at the festival covering the story, looks back on how this momentous moment for…

Hempseed oil and hempseed cake both increased the number and the diversity of good gut bacteria when added to dog food.

Drug-related arrests in Jersey have dropped since 2022, with police attributing the decline to increased access to legal medicinal cannabis reducing demand for the illicit market.

Major study shows that cannabis use amongst 12 to 17-year-olds in Germany did not rise after the country legalised access to the drug.

Topline results from a Phase 2 trial show nearly 9 in 10 participants improved after 12 weeks of treatment with a THC and CBD oil.

Medical cannabis treatment was associated with significant improvements in quality of life, anxiety and sleep for autistic adults over an 18 month period, according to new research from Imperial College London.

Grow your own cannabis, and you could face 14 years in prison. But if your ancestors addicted millions and waged wars to protect their drug profits, you get a seat in the House of Lords. Britain has a dark history of drug dealing across the world with consequences that are…

A seven-day study of people drinking a nightly cup of cannabis infused tea reported improvements in participants' happiness scores.

You’ve seen the videos, you’ve listened to the claims: Andy Burnham will become PM and legalise cannabis to plug a hole in the budget. Is the story true? Is the law going to change? We find the source of the rumours and get the full story.

A medical cannabis patient banned from motorsport has launched the world's first racing team for prescribed patients, returning to compete at the same circuit where he was previously excluded by Motorsport UK.

A five-year study finds that patients with treatment-resistant lower back pain experienced significant improvements and were able to stop taking prescription opioids after switching to medical cannabis.

As patient numbers increase, so does the risk of misunderstandings in the workplace. In his latest column, our resident pharmacist, Umesh, addresses a leafie reader's concerns about HR contacting their clinic, setting the record straight for employers and employees alike.

New research shows legalising medical cannabis reduced health-related workplace absences, with manual labourers and industrial workers seeing the biggest benefits.

Over 760,000 women languish on gynaecology waiting lists while the data linking cannabinoids to hormonal health becomes clearer by the day. Yet there's not a single large-scale trial testing cannabis for endometriosis, menopause, or period pain. The result? Thousands of British women are paying privately for something the NHS won't…

Terpenes, the aromatic compounds found in cannabis and many other plants, significantly reduced pain in mouse models of fibromyalgia and post-operative conditions, without causing psychoactive effects.

For decades, opponents of cannabis reform have warned that anything other than prohibition would trigger an epidemic of use and public harm. After 25 years of policy experiments across five continents, the data shows otherwise. The problem isn’t ending criminalisation; it’s what you replace it with.

Committee recommends repealing 1977 law and adopting comprehensive health-led approach to substance misuse, with 161 recommendations spanning prevention, treatment and community support.

Half of people with chronic conditions are sleep deprived, and the advice they're getting – darker rooms, better routines – misses what their nervous system is actually contending with. When pain lowers your threshold for sleep and sleeplessness lowers your threshold for pain, you need treatment that targets both. So…

A coalition of patient organisations has challenged an unpublicised move to restrict CBD and label it as a precursor to other drugs, warning that consumers could be pushed into unregulated markets if a ban is put in place.

More than half of cancer patients in a Canadian study reported meaningful improvements in sleep, anxiety, and other symptoms after using cannabis oil extracts.

The largest study of its kind to date found that 60% of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients achieved clinically significant pain reduction after 24 months of cannabis-based treatment, with many also reducing their opioid use.

A universal basic income scheme, funded by tax revenue from cannabis sales, is helping families thrive, according to leaders in the US city of Albuquerque.

The largest study of its kind to date found that 60% of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome patients achieved clinically significant pain reduction after 24 months of cannabis-based treatment, with many also reducing their opioid use.

New polling reveals broad support for psilocybin-assisted therapy across the political spectrum, with 68% backing end-of-life care use. Yet the UK remains the last major English-speaking nation to allow medical access.

MPs from the Greens, Lib Dems, Labour, plus independent Jeremy Corbyn, have signed a motion calling for the end of the Misuse of Drugs Act, calling it a failure that is not fit for purpose.

Dispelling the 'lazy stoner' stereotype, the study found that people who used cannabis were shown to be more likely to engage in light and medium exercise.

CBD leapt from wellness hack to high street darling in little more than five years. Now, researchers want to turn it into the packaging for items in your weekly shop. This isn’t the first time hemp has been tipped to replace plastic, but this time the science really works.