The legal status of cannabis in the UK has quietly changed in a significant manner over the past decade

Recreational weed might still be illegal, but medical cannabis is now prescribed to tens of thousands of British patients. Common ailments which medical cannabis is prescribed for include chronic pain and insomnia; two things many older Brits are sadly familiar with.

You may have smoked recreationally in the past and maybe feel that cannabis is solely for the young now – or only old hippies. But the reality is, plenty of everyday working or retired people across the UK are right now discreetly and legally vaping. Or taking cannabis to treat their medical conditions. This is what you need to know about it.

Older users are a globally booming patient group for medical cannabis

Today, it is estimated there are some 50,000-plus medical cannabis patients across the United Kingdom. It’s very difficult to analyse the recreational black market, as cannabis remains a Class B Controlled substance when bought without a medical prescription. The Institute of Economic Affairs estimated there were two million occasional recreational cannabis users in the UK in 2017.

If you’re looking for the best medical cannabis in the UK, that can be a challenge – but a trusted review site with a large community of medical patients should help. Much like other medications, different strains of weed have different effects on different physiologies. So consulting a third-party review site to collect opinions from professionals and other patients before you make a choice on your medication is important.

Out of those British patients with cannabis prescriptions a surprising number of them are over 40. In fact, studies have consistently shown – perhaps unsurprisingly considering this is in the heart of Generation X – that the 55+ age group has the most positive opinions on medical cannabis. One recent study found 21% of 18-34 year olds in the UK were against medical cannabis, while only 10% of those over 55 said the same.

Meanwhile, in the United States, which has the largest legal medical and recreational weed market in the world, middle-aged and older patients and users are the fastest growing segment.

Documented therapeutic benefits for chronic pain and sleep issues

Although it is difficult to get legal cannabis prescribed on the National Health Service for all but the most extreme conditions, the most common ailment suffered by patients who are prescribed it via private clinics, is chronic pain. Given the potential side effects of long-term use of many heavy-duty pharmaceutical painkillers, it’s no wonder people are seeking out cannabis as relief for conditions like:

• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis
• Pain associated with cancer or cancer treatment
• Migraine or cluster headaches
• Neuropathy (nerve damage)

One other growing area of interest for medical cannabis is sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnoea. One 2025 study of 23 UK patients with insomnia gave them a nightly mix of THC 20mg/mL, CBD 1mg/mL, and cannabinol 2mg/mL for two weeks (all active ingredients in cannabis flower). Every single one of them saw significant improvement in their insomnia, as well as related mental health outcomes.

However, more study is needed before any significant conclusions can be made. For example, cessation of cannabis consumption after long-term use has been shown to decrease sleep quality in previous studies.

But – the data is clear that it does work for insomniacs. Across the UK today tens of thousands of patients, many of them above 40, legally consume cannabis or THC products to treat chronic pain, insomnia and various other conditions.

Practical considerations and safe consumption are paramount

However, it remains illegal to smoke cannabis in the UK. Even with a prescription. Smoking any burnt substance into your lungs is unhealthy, so doctors would never recommend anyone do that.

Fortunately, smoking is far from the only way to activate the cannabis flower’s psychoactive effects. The main Tetrahydrocannabinol molecule (THC) can be released or even isolated in other ways. Options for patients to consume legal weed once a prescription is obtained include:

• Distilled THC oil in various forms including vapes, sprays, and droplets
• Dry herb vaporisers
• Edibles such as gummies or lozenge pastilles

To find out which type of cannabis medication might be best for you, the first step is a good clinic. Third-party experiences such as Alternaleaf reviews, with genuine reviews, can help establish which clinic offers the options you’re interested in.

Whichever you choose, each of these medical cannabis ingestion methods are significantly less smelly. And far more discreet than smoking joints or hitting pipes, and won’t hurt your lungs either.

However, they can actually be more potent if over-consumed. Care must be taken to understand correct dosage and timings, especially with oils and edibles. Any legal cannabis clinic will discuss personalised dosage and guidelines with patients before handing out any prescription.

Although a serious THC overdose is practically impossible, overdoing things can be unpleasant both mentally and physically. Side effects of consuming more cannabis than a patient is tolerant of can include:

• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Sleepiness or drowsiness
• Vertigo or dizziness
• Anxiety

However, given appropriate medically prescribed dosages these should not be a problem for most patients.