How quickly can I start medical cannabis treatments?

While we believe any decisions about your health shouldn’t be rushed, if this is an option you’ve been considering for a while, and traditional approaches have failed to meet your needs, realistically, you could start medical cannabis treatments within a week of reaching out to Releaf - if found to be eligible. 

In this blog, we’ll break down the process of medical cannabis prescriptions, from assessing your eligibility to administering your medication, providing a clear timeline of events that can help you plan for the future.

Step 1: Assessing your eligibility and creating an account

The first steps to starting medical cannabis treatments at Releaf is assessing your suitability for these options, and creating an account. And we’re pleased to say, this only takes a matter of minutes. 

Once you’ve created an account, it takes around 20 minutes to complete the health questionnaire and submit the other required information on our bespoke patient portal. 

This includes uploading documentation that shows proof of address, a copy of your ID, and entering personal information such as your caregivers' information. 

Step 2: Accessing medical documents and appointments

Once you’ve created your account, and given us approval to request your medical documents from your GP, you can arrange your initial consultation with one of Releaf’s medical cannabis prescribers. 

Book an appointment at a time and date that suits you and process the payment, verifying your ID with Stripe’s verification system. In the meantime, we’ll be busy gathering your health records - or summary care records (SCR). 

Thankfully, at Releaf most SCR are accessed within 48 hours, but this does depend on your GP, as they have to grant approval.

If we access your records sooner than expected, you may be emailed with an opportunity to move your appointment up to see a consultant sooner than your original appointment date. This is free of charge.   

Step 3: Initial consultation and prescription issuance

At Releaf, our initial consultations last 30 minutes to ensure our practitioners can gather all the necessary information they need by getting a full picture of your health, lifestyle, and goals for treatment. 

During this appointment, our doctors will provide a clear explanation of the options available to you, and how these treatments can be catered to meet your individual needs. 

After your appointment, the clinician you met with will present your case in the multidisciplinary (MDT) meeting that takes place at the end of each day to seek approval and sign off from the rest of the team. 

Once your prescription has been approved by the MDT, you will be notified that your prescription has been issued, and your medication is ready to order. 

Step 4: Selecting your subscription and medication delivery

The next step is ordering your medication, and selecting your subscription service. Follow the links provided in the SMS or email you have received to say your prescription is ready, and proceed to checkout. 

Next select whether you’d like to join our subscription service Releaf+, which covers the cost of all future consultations, medication shipping, repeat prescription issuances, and travel certificates, or continue as a Pay As You Go patient and process your payment.

Medication delivery times vary depending on the prescribed products, with Releaf branded medical cannabis cultivars arriving within two to four days, and all other medicines delivered within five business days of ordering. All medicines are delivered using a tracked and signed for delivery service. 

Step 5: Administering medical cannabis

Once you’ve received your medication, the amount of time before you can try your medical cannabis simply depends on your symptoms, and the dosing instructions your prescribing doctor has provided. 

Some patients may be able to administer their medication immediately upon opening their medication, say for example, if they were experiencing a symptom flare up or required rapid relief from chronic pain. In these circumstances, medical cannabis is usually vaporised so it can access the bloodstream and start to take effect within 90 seconds of administration. 

Other patients may be prescribed medical cannabis or cannabis oil for a specific time of day, for example, before they go to sleep - and so, depending on what time of day your medicine is delivered your first administration may not be for a number of hours. 

Cannabis oils administered sublingually typically take between 10 and 20 minutes for their effects to be felt, and they peak after around 30 to 45 minutes - meaning their effects are most prominent during this time period. 

Final Thoughts

At Releaf, we’re committed to making healthcare as seamless, and as streamlined as possible. We understand how frustrating it can be when traditional treatments haven’t provided you with the care or support you need, and because of this, when a new option is discovered, it's often accompanied by a sense of urgency or eagerness. 

This is why we make this process as smooth and swift as possible. Within just a few steps, you could be exploring a new path towards better health, and we’re here to support you through every step of the journey. 

If this is something you’re interested in learning more about, head over to our blog or education section to learn more about medical cannabis treatments in the UK, or assess your eligibility for these options today.