Private medical cannabis clinic Releaf has registered as a fully integrated GP practice in a move that could reshape how ineligible patients are managed within the UK's private prescribing ecosystem.

The company, which describes itself as the country's fastest-growing cannabis clinic, says between 30% and 40% of patients who complete triage and reach consultation are still found ineligible for a cannabis prescription. With more than 100,000 people now on its database, that represents a substantial cohort seeking help who may currently leave without a clear treatment pathway.

A narrow route to standard prescriptions

Under the new registration, Releaf prescribers can issue conventional medicines from the British National Formulary, including SSRIs and pain relief, but only within strict limits. Chief medical officer Graham Woodward told Cannabis Insider the clinic is deliberately avoiding any perception that standard medication could be used as a stepping stone towards cannabis eligibility.

"We get patients who come through who are not eligible for cannabis but still need treatment," Woodward said. "We are being very careful that this is not seen as a way of using standard medication to then make someone eligible for cannabis. That is not the intention."

Any non-cannabis prescription will run for one month only, after which the patient's registered GP is expected to take over ongoing care.

Outcome data behind the expansion

Releaf has also built one of the more detailed patient outcome datasets in the UK private cannabis sector. The clinic licenses 15 validated clinical assessment tools, including the GAD-7 anxiety scale, EQ-5D quality-of-life index and Brief Pain Inventory, at a combined annual cost of roughly £25,000.

Around 10,000 of its 101,200 patients have completed at least one assessment on a voluntary basis. Of approximately 1,500 patients tracked on the GAD-7 scale, roughly 1,200 showed meaningful improvements in anxiety scores, while around 300 recorded no measurable change. A smaller number reported worsened anxiety, which Woodward partly attributes to external stigma rather than the medication itself.

"Once people start taking cannabis, they may become more anxious because of the law around cannabis, or people smelling it," he said. "It can be external factors."

On quality of life, around 7,000 completed EQ-5D responses show improvement in approximately 75% of cases. The methodology is supported by licensed access to instrument rights-holders Mapi and Galen, alongside engagement with Johns Hopkins University.

Scrutiny and the road ahead

The move comes as the UK's medical cannabis sector faces intensifying scrutiny from regulators and the mainstream media. Freedom of information data is gradually clarifying the true scale of private prescribing, while the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs continues its review of cannabis prescribing practices, with findings expected in the coming months.

Woodward submitted nearly 13,000 words of evidence to the ACMD review. Its conclusions are likely to shape how the sector is regulated for years to come — making accurate outcome data and transparent prescribing standards more important than ever.