Despite being the second-largest and one of the most mature medical cannabis markets in Europe, the UK still falls well behind its peers in one key area, data.
This week marks the seventh anniversary of the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK, yet even the most knowledgeable industry insiders can only estimate the number of patients currently receiving prescriptions to the nearest 10,000.
As such, clinics, researchers and policymakers are missing critical insights into what is driving the demand for medical cannabis that has been growing consistently since 2018.
More importantly, it means that issues around underrepresentation in the patient population are either poorly understood or entirely missed.
As with so many critical parts of the UK market, like education and awareness, it currently falls to patient-facing clinics to fill these knowledge gaps.
One such medical cannabis clinic, Releaf, recently published a comprehensive survey of 1,669 active medical cannabis patients, offering rare and valuable insights into the UK’s all-too-opaque patient population.
The medical cannabis gender gap
Releaf’s survey, ‘7 Years Legal’, conducted through an online survey of 65 questions, shines a light on everything from demographics and patient tenure, to public confidence, legal knowledge and the personal travel experiences of patients.
Amongst this swathe of data, one key disparity appeared persistently throughout: the prominence of male patients over women.
Despite clear evidence that cannabis can provide relief for a range of women’s health conditions, just 31% (516) of the total number of respondents were women.
The representative snapshot of the market provided by Releaf skews significantly towards middle-aged and male patients, with the largest groups aged between 35 to 54.
This imbalance has implications for the wider healthcare system. Many conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as chronic pain syndromes, anxiety disorders, and hormonal conditions, are among the most commonly treated indications with medical cannabis, yet the data suggest women are not benefiting from these therapeutic advances to the same extent as men.
Addressing this disparity head-on, Releaf’s report suggests: “The gender disparity may reflect different attitudes toward cannabis, varying rates of diagnosed conditions, or differences in willingness to pursue alternative treatments. Further research is needed to understand barriers that may prevent women from accessing medical cannabis at equal rates.
Women’s health as an emerging but underserved category
Of the 516 female respondents, just 27 reported using medical cannabis specifically for women’s health-related conditions, equating to 1.6% of the total surveyed.
Conditions such as menopause and perimenopause, and endometriosis are increasingly cited in studies suggesting that medical cannabis is an effective treatment.
However, only 12 respondents reported being prescribed medical cannabis for menopause and perimenopause, five for endometriosis, and one each for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, polycystic ovary syndrome, vulvodynia, and period pain.
Despite the sample size, the survey’s data points to high efficacy. Over 70% of women in this group rated their treatment as ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ effective.
“Women’s health represents a significantly undertreated area within medical cannabis,” Releaf suggests.
“The low percentage of patients seeking treatment for these conditions may reflect limited awareness among women and healthcare providers, ongoing stigma, lack of clinical research specific to women’s health conditions, and underdiagnosis of qualifying conditions.”
The gender divide persists across major conditions
Beyond those specifically prescribed for ‘women’s health’ conditions, women continued to be underrepresented in nearly all primary treatment categories, according to the survey.
Male respondents made up 72.3% of those treated for chronic pain, 68.9% for mental health, and 69.4% for neurological disorders.
Releaf suggests that both social and medical factors could be responsible for the persistent pattern, with women possibly less likely to pursue cannabis-based treatments due to stigma or uncertainty about eligibility.
“The overall male predominance may reflect both gender differences in diagnosed conditions and differing attitudes toward cannabis-based medicine,” the report notes, adding that ‘targeted outreach to women may help address this imbalance.’
How to close the gap
Releaf offers several recommendations for the industry at large to address this issue, including expanded research into female-specific indications, educational campaigns targeting both patients and medical professionals, and greater visibility of women’s health outcomes in clinical literature.
Increasing awareness among women suffering from endometriosis, menopause-related symptoms, and chronic pelvic pain could be particularly impactful. These conditions are often underdiagnosed or inadequately managed through traditional pharmacological approaches, yet early evidence suggests cannabis may provide meaningful relief.
Addressing gender disparities in access will also require tackling cultural stigma. Although 80% of patients in the survey said they had not experienced stigma personally, women are still more likely to report social discomfort or fear of judgment when discussing cannabis-based treatment.
