Medicinal Cannabis Matters: Friday Roundup - 31 October 2025
Welcome to this week’s round-up in medicinal cannabis. It may be Halloween, but there is nothing spooky here, just positive progress and growing awareness. With Medical Cannabis Awareness Month coming this November, our focus turns to three important developments: emerging evidence in dementia care, a major clinical trial in lower-back pain and shifting international regulation shaping future access.
Dementia and Medicinal Cannabis: What Does the Evidence Say?
A recent review article examines how medicinal cannabis might support people living with dementia and related neurocognitive disorders. While clinical data remain limited, the review points to potential benefits in managing symptoms like agitation, sleep disruption and anxiety, all areas where conventional therapies often fall short.
While the article suggests that cannabis-based treatments are not mainstream yet, the direction of travel is clear: medicinal cannabis is increasingly entering the conversation in neurological and cognitive care settings.
Lower Back Pain: Medicinal Cannabis Shows Promise
Research published this week highlights a major randomised controlled trial in Europe evaluating medicinal cannabis for chronic lower back pain. Participants taking the extract reported meaningful reductions in pain intensity compared with placebo, alongside improvements in sleep quality and physical function.
For patients struggling with long-term pain where standard treatments have failed, these findings represent a significant step forward and a timely reminder that November’s awareness campaign isn’t just thematic, but rooted in progress.
Germany Expands Its Medical Cannabis Import Capacity
A new report in Business of Cannabis highlights how Germany is preparing to significantly increase its import capacity for medicinal cannabis. As one of Europe’s largest healthcare markets, this expansion signals strong confidence in the role of cannabis-based medicines and a commitment to ensuring sustained access for patients.
For the UK, this is an important development. With demand growing and prescribing pathways continuing to evolve, a more robust European supply chain supports stability, availability and potentially greater choice for patients and clinicians here at home. It is a reminder that international policy decisions can directly contribute to better outcomes for local communities, especially as we head into Medical Cannabis Awareness Month and continue to advocate for improved access across the UK.
As Medical Cannabis Awareness Month begins, these stories emphasise that awareness isn’t simply about promotion, it’s about building knowledge, reducing stigma and supporting safe, evidence-based care pathways. This is the moment to engage, ask questions and explore how medicinal cannabis fits into broader health-care strategies.
If you are considering whether medicinal cannabis might support your health and well-being, the first step is to check your eligibility. The process is straightforward and confidential, and whether you’re in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands, you can take that first step today.
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.