You followed your doctor’s advice. You hold a legal prescription. This page explains why the law still treats you differently – and where to find the facts.
Click here to for information and support if you are medical cannabis user.
No – not under current law. Regulation 16A(3) makes smoking a criminal offence even when the medicine is prescribed. The briefing explains how that rule was added in 2018 and why it remains one of the biggest barriers to safe, lawful care.
Smoking can bring relief within seconds, but current regulations make it an offence – even when the medicine is prescribed. The briefing document, Discrimination by Design, explains how a single clause, Regulation 16A(3), created this contradiction and why it matters for equality and patient safety.
You can lawfully carry your prescribed product in its original container. But many officers don’t yet understand the regulations, leading to confiscations or even arrests. Discrimination by Design looks at why enforcement remains inconsistent and what equality law says about it.
Yes, under DVLA medical-use rules – but testing still struggles to tell prescription from misuse. The evidence shows how this gap in technology and policy puts lawful patients at risk of prosecution.
Different departments share responsibility: the Home Office for drug law, DHSC for health policy, and DfT for driving regulations but this question touches anything from operational policing and medical care to considerations made by the Department for Work and Pensions. The system only works when they work together – something Discrimination by Design shows has yet to happen.
No other patient group is placed in the position of being criminalised if they use their properly approved and prescribed medication. Justice by Design is trying to change that. Click the button below to view and/or download our Discrimination by Design briefing document, which explains the medical and legal contradiction in more details – and why it matters for equality and patient safety.
There are many medical conditions which benefit from the use of prescribed cannabis. We have listed some here. As the site continues to develop, we will provide links to organisations who may be able to provide additional support.