Police forces across the UK are now working to clearer guidance on how officers should approach people who are lawfully prescribed medical cannabis. The aim is to reduce confusion, avoid unnecessary confrontations, and help patients feel more confident when carrying their medication.
Although medical cannabis became legal in the UK in 2018, many patients have still found themselves having to explain their treatment to police officers. For some, this has led to uncomfortable or stressful situations, even when prescriptions were completely valid.
The National Police Chiefs Council has approved new guidance developed by the Association of Police Controlled Drug Liaison Officers to address this. The document gives practical, common-sense direction to officers and reflects how medical cannabis is prescribed and used in real life.
What the guidance says
The guidance is clear that officers should treat people in possession of prescribed medical cannabis as patients first.
Officers may ask to see original pharmacy packaging, a dispensing label, or supporting documents such as a clinic letter or copy of the prescription. Importantly, patients are not legally required to carry this paperwork with them at all times.
Police should only take further action if there are reasonable grounds to believe someone does not have a lawful prescription. If there is no clear reason to doubt this, officers should assume the medication is legal.
The guidance also clears up common misunderstandings. For example, patients with a valid prescription do not need additional cards or schemes, such as Cancard, to prove legality.
Why this matters for patients
For patients living with chronic pain, neurological conditions, mental health conditions, and other long-term or treatment-resistant illnesses, this guidance offers reassurance that their treatment is recognised as part of regulated healthcare.
Medical cannabis is prescribed following specialist assessment and is usually considered only after other treatments have not been effective. Clear national guidance helps support more informed, proportionate interactions with police and reduces the risk of unnecessary distress.
It is also important to be realistic. While the guidance is now approved and being shared across England, Scotland, and Wales, it may take time before it is widely understood by all officers in day-to-day practice.
A positive step forward
Even with that caveat, this guidance marks a meaningful shift in tone and understanding. It reinforces that prescribed medical cannabis is healthcare, not criminality, and that patients should not be treated with suspicion simply for carrying their medication.
As awareness grows and training catches up, the hope is for fewer misunderstandings, calmer interactions, and greater confidence for patients who are lawfully managing their health.
Further reading
The full guidance is publicly available and can be read in full here: Medicinal Cannabis and the Police – Guidance for Officers and Staff
