Cannabis Health Symposium: London

Programme

The programme is being finalised — here are the themes we’ll explore across the day.

• Presentation followed by audience Q&A

  Regulating unlicensed cannabis-based medicines: latest guidance and developments

  Regulatory experts will outline the latest guidance relating to the importation, supply and prescribing of unlicensed medicines, as well as developments surrounding new dosage forms and product categories. Attendees will gain valuable insight into regulatory expectations, compliance requirements and future developments affecting clinics, prescribers and product manufacturers.

• Presentation followed by audience Q&A

  Cannabis-based medicines and NHS pathways

  Although medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018, access through NHS services remains limited. This session will explore the current NHS landscape for licensed and unlicensed cannabis-based medicines, including referral pathways, prescribing processes, commissioning challenges and barriers to wider adoption — plus how private providers can work effectively alongside NHS services, opportunities for collaborative care models, and what changes may be required to improve patient access within mainstream healthcare settings.

• Presentation followed by audience Q&A

  Building a safe, effective and compliant medical cannabis service

  As the sector continues to mature, robust governance and regulatory compliance remain essential for clinics providing cannabis-based medicines. This practical, workshop-style session will explore the systems, processes and quality standards required to meet Care Quality Commission expectations — common challenges, lessons learned from inspections, and practical strategies for achieving and maintaining good or outstanding ratings. Designed for clinic operators, medical directors and governance leads.

• Presentation

  Medical cannabis police guidance: understanding rights and responsibilities

  Despite legalisation, many medical cannabis patients continue to experience confusion and inconsistency when interacting with law enforcement. This session will present the latest police guidance for medical cannabis patients, helping clinicians, patients and healthcare providers better understand the practical implications of the law and how it is being applied across the UK.

• Panel discussion

  Medical cannabis in the workplace: safety, compliance and employee rights

  As the number of prescribed medical cannabis patients continues to grow, employers and occupational health professionals are increasingly faced with complex questions around workplace safety, drug testing, fitness for work and reasonable adjustments. This session will explore the legal and practical considerations surrounding medical cannabis in employment settings, including the challenges faced by patients working in safety-critical roles — towards fair, evidence-based workplace policies.

• Presentation or panel discussion

  Managing risk and maximising benefit in mental health care

  Mental health remains one of the most discussed and debated areas of medical cannabis practice. This session will examine the current evidence for cannabis-based medicines in psychiatric conditions, while addressing concerns around safety, dependency, psychosis risk and patient selection. Leading psychiatrists and clinicians will discuss prescribing considerations, risk mitigation strategies and the role of cannabis-based medicines within wider mental health treatment pathways.

• Presentation

  Medical cannabis in palliative and end-of-life care

  Palliative care is one of the areas where cannabis-based medicines may offer significant benefits for patients experiencing complex symptoms and reduced quality of life. This session will explore the current evidence base and real-world clinical experience of prescribing in palliative and end-of-life settings — pain management, nausea and vomiting, appetite stimulation, anxiety, sleep and overall quality of life — with practical insights into prescribing approaches.

• Presentation

  Clinical trials update

  Clinical research continues to play a crucial role in shaping the future of cannabis-based medicines and expanding access through mainstream healthcare systems. This session will provide an update on ongoing clinical trials and pharmaceutical development programmes currently progressing through the regulatory approval process — trial design, early findings, regulatory milestones and future research priorities across a range of indications, including chronic pain, endometriosis and other unmet clinical needs.

• Panel discussion

  Medical cannabis and neurodiversity: exploring evidence and experience

  Interest in the use of cannabis-based medicines for neurodevelopmental conditions continues to grow among clinicians, patients and families. This panel will examine the current evidence surrounding CBMPs in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, exploring gaps in conventional treatment options and emerging understanding of the endocannabinoid system in neurodivergent populations — combining clinical expertise, research perspectives and lived experience.

• Presentation

  Sex differences in cannabinoid medicine

  Growing research suggests that biological sex and hormonal fluctuations can significantly influence the functioning of the endocannabinoid system and the effects of cannabis-based medicines. This specialist presentation will explore the latest scientific understanding of how sex hormones, reproductive health and biological differences impact cannabinoid pharmacology, treatment response and dosing — and how a more personalised approach to prescribing may improve outcomes for female patients.

• Panel discussion

  Addressing unmet needs in women's health

  Women are increasingly seeking cannabis-based medicines to manage a range of conditions that are often poorly served by conventional treatment options. This multidisciplinary panel will explore the use of medical cannabis across menopause, endometriosis, PMDD, chronic pelvic pain and related disorders — examining the current evidence, clinical experience and future research priorities, and how healthcare providers can better support women seeking alternative treatment approaches.

• Presentation

  Medical cannabis and neurological conditions

  Neurological conditions remain one of the most established therapeutic areas for cannabis-based medicines. This expert-led presentation will review the current evidence base and clinical experience of prescribing CBMPs for neurological disorders — including multiple sclerosis, spasticity, neuropathic pain, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders — covering patient selection, treatment goals and practical prescribing considerations.

Speakers

• 

  Professor David Nutt

  Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, Drug Science

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  David is Prof of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and CRO Awaknlifesciences. He trained at Cambridge and Guy’s hospital to MRCP then did his psychiatry training and DM at the MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit Oxford after which he became a Wellcome Senior Fellow. He then spent two years as heading the research ward at NIAAA in Washington DC before setting up the Psychopharmacology unit at Bristol University in 1988, where he later became Prof of Psychiatry and Dean of Clinical Medicine before moving to Imperial in 2008. He has held presidencies of the EBC, BAP, BNA and ECNP, was chair of the ACMD and founded the charity DrugScience. He has over 500 original research papers, a similar number of reviews/book chapters, eight government reports and 36 books. In 2013 he was awarded the John Maddox Prize from Nature/Sense about Science and in 2017 a Doctor of Laws hon causa from the University of Bath

• 

  Alex Fraser

  Patient Access Lead / Founder & Managing Director, Grow Group / Patient Protect

  Prescription cannabis patients continue to face discrimination in policing, employment, healthcare and everyday life, often because the law and patients’ rights are poorly understood. Through Patient Protect, I see the real-world consequences of that misunderstanding regularly. I’m looking forward to bringing those experiences to the Cannabis Health Symposium, exploring where discrimination occurs, why it happens, and what patients, professionals and organisations can practically do about it.

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  Alex Fraser is a UK medical cannabis patient advocate and industry professional with over a decade of experience supporting patients and improving understanding of prescription cannabis.

  He co-founded the United Patients Alliance in 2014, campaigning for legal access to cannabis medicines through to the UK law change in 2018. Since 2019, he has worked at medical cannabis distributor Grow Group UK as Patient Access Lead.

  In 2025 Alex founded Patient Protect, an organisation supporting prescription cannabis patients experiencing discrimination and legal difficulties. Through this work, he has supported patients facing issues involving policing, employment, housing, healthcare, driving and access to services, and works to improve understanding of patients’ rights among organisations and public authorities.

  He is ABPI qualified, regularly speaks at cannabis, healthcare and policing conferences, and brings both professional and lived experience as a long-term prescribed cannabis patient for his Crohn’s Disease.

  LinkedIn ↗

• 

  Richard List

  National Secretary and CDLO, Association of Police Controlled Drug Liaison Officers

  My priority is to increase knowledge and understanding about medical cannabis amongst police officers and police staff. And to create consensus, cooperation and collaboration with patients, health care partners, the medical cannabis industry and wider community.

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  Richard List is the National Secretary of the Association of Police Controlled Drug Liaison Officers. He retired after thirty years as a Detective Chief Superintendent, and for many years led the Thames Valley Police Drug Squad. He was a Police Gold Commander and has extensive policing experience. He is the author of the Official UK Police Guidance on Medical Cannabis — “Patient First, Suspect Second” (2025), and is currently working on a second edition. He is the Police Representative on the national CQC Drugs Group, and was awarded a Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in 2001.

• To be announced

  Regulatory

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  Care Quality Commission (CQC)

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  University of Edinburgh

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