Medicinal Cannabis Matters: Friday Roundup - 26 June 2026

Honouring Those Who Helped Change Lives

This week, a moving tribute was shared written by campaigner Charlotte Caldwell, whose tireless work helped change UK law around medicinal cannabis, in memory of Dr Martin McKenna.

The article reflects on Dr McKenna’s dedication to patient care and the role he played in supporting families at a time when access to medicinal cannabis was extremely limited. Charlotte’s tribute serves as a reminder of the clinicians, campaigners and patients whose determination helped bring about the legal changes introduced in 2018.

While significant progress has been made, stories like this highlight how access to medicinal cannabis today has been built on years of advocacy, compassion and a shared commitment to improving the lives of patients.

When Sleep Becomes the Hardest Part of Living with a Chronic Condition

For many people living with long-term health conditions, sleep can become one of the biggest daily challenges.

A new article from Leafie explores how chronic pain, anxiety, neurological conditions and other long-term illnesses can make getting a good night's sleep incredibly difficult. Poor sleep can then have a knock-on effect on physical health, mental wellbeing, energy levels and the ability to manage symptoms during the day.

The article also discusses why some patients prescribed medicinal cannabis report improvements in sleep quality as part of their treatment plan. While outcomes vary from person to person, better sleep is one of the most commonly reported benefits among medicinal cannabis patients and can have a significant impact on overall quality of life.

UK Medicinal Cannabis Market Continues to Grow

New analysis from Business of Cannabis suggests the UK medicinal cannabis market is growing faster than many experts predicted.

The report highlights increasing patient numbers, greater awareness of legal access and continued investment across the sector. As more clinicians gain experience with medicinal cannabis and more patients become aware of their treatment options, demand for regulated medicinal cannabis continues to rise.

This growth is encouraging because it reflects greater awareness of clinically supervised treatment and increasing confidence in the UK's regulated medicinal cannabis framework. While there is still work to do to improve awareness and accessibility, the continued expansion of the sector represents positive progress for patients across the country.

From recognising the individuals whose dedication helped shape today's legal framework, to better understanding the everyday challenges patients face and seeing continued growth in access across the UK, every development moves the conversation forward.

At Medicann, we're proud to be part of that progress by providing safe, clinically led care to patients across the UK and Channel Islands. If you're considering whether medicinal cannabis may be suitable for your condition, you can check your eligibility online in just two minutes.

Disclaimer: This blog post and the following featured articles are for information only and any articles on external platforms may be amended at any time. Articles that we refer to in our weekly roundup do not reflect the views of Medicann.