To prescribe medical cannabis in the UK, you must be a GMC specialist consultant or a qualified doctor under Shared Care arrangements. Knowledge of the regulations, guidelines, and evidence supporting this treatment is essential. The licensing process varies between the private and public sector. In a private clinic, CQC registration or practicing privileges are compulsory. In the NHS or specialist hospitals, adherence to the NICE guideline on cannabis-based medicinal products is required. The Cancard, an ID card permitting the prescription of unlicensed cannabis products, is also an option for patients meeting specific criteria. Securing a Cancard involves uploading requisite documents online and paying an annual fee of £20. The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is a valuable resource for further education, providing support, mentorship, and an online course on the historical, legal, scientific, and clinical aspects of medical cannabis. The duration to secure a license to prescribe medical cannabis in the UK varies, depending on several factors such as your sector of work, requirement of a Home Office compliance visit, and whether you apply for a Cancard or a controlled drugs license. The estimated time frame can range from a few days to 16 weeks. The costs incurred in obtaining a license, such as the administrative fee for Cancard, Home Office compliance visit fee, and CQC registration fee, also vary. Medical cannabis for children is a complex issue and can be

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To prescribe medical cannabis in the UK, you need to be a GMC specialist consultant or a doctor who can prescribe with direction under Shared Care arrangements¹. You also need to be aware of the regulations, guidelines, and evidence for this treatment option².

There are different ways to obtain a licence to prescribe medical cannabis, depending on whether you work in the private or public sector. If you work in a private practice or clinic, you need to have CQC registration or practising privileges³. If you work in the NHS or a specialist hospital, you need to follow the NICE guideline on cannabis-based medicinal products⁴.

You can also apply for a Cancard, which is a medical cannabis ID card that allows you to prescribe unlicensed cannabis products for patients who meet certain criteria⁵. To get a Cancard, you need to upload your documents online and pay a fee of £20 per year⁵.

If you want to learn more about medical cannabis and how to prescribe it, I recommend you join the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, which provides support, education, and mentorship for UK doctors who are interested in this field. You can also access their online training course, which covers the historical, legal, scientific, and clinical aspects of medical cannabis.

Learn more:

1. gov.uk2. ukmccs.org3. bing.com4. greenbox.co.uk5. cannigma.com6. g

According to the web search results, the time it takes to get a licence to prescribe medical cannabis in the UK depends on several factors, such as:

• Whether you work in the private or public sector¹
• Whether you need a compliance visit from the Home Office²
• Whether you apply for a Cancard or a controlled drugs licence³⁴

The estimated time ranges from a few days to 16 weeks, depending on your situation. You can find more details on the websites of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society¹, the Cancard³, and the Home Office²⁴.

Learn more:

1. ukmccs.org2. gov.uk3. cannigma.com4. gov.uk5. wired.co.uk

What is the cost of getting a licence?

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The cost of getting a licence to prescribe medical cannabis in the UK varies depending on your situation. According to the web search results, some of the possible costs are:

• A one-time administrative fee of £10 and an annual fee of £20 for a Cancard¹
• A compliance visit fee of £3,655 from the Home Office²
• A CQC registration fee or practising privileges fee if you work in a private practice or clinic¹

These costs are not fixed and may change over time. You can find more details on the websites of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society¹, the Cancard³, and the Home Office⁴ .

Learn more:

1. cannigma.com2. independent.co.uk3. lyphe.com4. gov.uk

Can I prescribe medical cannabis for children?. Medical cannabis for children is a controversial and complex topic that requires careful consideration of the benefits and risks. According to the web search results, medical cannabis can be prescribed for children in the UK, but only for certain conditions and under strict regulations.

The only licensed cannabis-based medicine for children in the UK is Epidyolex, which is a CBD oral solution that can be prescribed by a specialist for patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome, which are rare forms of epilepsy¹. This product has been approved by the EU and NICE, and is funded by the NHS².

Other cannabis-based products for children are unlicensed and have to be imported from abroad under a special licence. These products may contain both CBD and THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis. These products are not widely available or accessible, and there is limited evidence on their safety and efficacy for various conditions¹.

Therefore, if you want to prescribe medical cannabis for children, you need to be a GMC specialist consultant or a doctor who can prescribe with direction under Shared Care arrangements³. You also need to follow the NICE guideline on cannabis-based medicinal products⁴, which provides some recommendations based on the current evidence, but also highlights the gaps and uncertainties that need to be addressed by further research.

You can also join the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, which provides support, education, and mentorship for UK doctors who are interested in this field. You can access their online training course, which covers the historical, legal, scientific, and clinical aspects of medical cannabis.

Learn more:

1. nhs