Ask any UK medical cannabis patient who is signed up with any UK medical cannabis clinic, and they tell you - there is a major issue with the current supply chain system of medical cannabis in the country.
Despite medical weed becoming fully legal in 2018 (or maybe because it happened without the correct industry players set up at the time) - the UK still faces many challenges in providing timely and adequate access to medical marijuana for patients.
As a result of these weed strain supply chain issues, patients are often left without their prescribed medication or have to turn to illicit sources, risking legal consequences and the uncertain quality of the product.
This has led to a growing frustration and outcry within the UK medical cannabis community, which is totally understandable.
So,
Why is the industry in this state?
Who are the main players involved in the supply chain?
And most importantly, what is being done to fix this issue?
To answer these questions, we turn to two companies that are making significant strides in mending the UK medical cannabis supply chain.
Last week, The Sunday Times announced that Glass Pharms® (the newest UK-based medical cannabis farm and the first to offer UK patients the opportunity to access medical cannabis grown on UK soil) and Releaf, the fastest-growing UK medical cannabis clinic, are partnering up to tackle the supply chain issue head-on.
The State of the UK Medical Cannabis Industry
Despite being fully legal for almost 6 years, the UK medical cannabis industry can still be considered to be in its infancy. There are still more than a few gaps and challenges that need to be addressed in order for it to function the way patients (and providers) expect.
The most major of these issues is the lack of established and regulated UK-based farms, with the reality being that, up until this point, all medical marijuana supplied in the UK has been imported from overseas.
This simple fact has resulted in a slew of supply chain issues - longer than ideal waiting times for patients, higher costs than in some of the other countries where medical cannabis is now legal, and a lack of control over both the quality and consistency of the product. Of course, there are regulations in place surrounding both the importation and distribution of medical cannabis strains, but the challenges still persist.
Who are the main players involved in this supply chain?
The most obvious are the patients themselves - those who require access to medical cannabis for various health conditions and are currently facing challenges in obtaining it. The patients are the ones affected when the supply chain breaks down.
Next, we have specialists working with private medical cannabis clinics (like Releaf) who prescribe medical cannabis. They are responsible for assessing patients and determining if medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment option. Without their involvement, patients would not be able to access medical cannabis at all, even if it does sometimes take longer than expected.
Neither patients nor prescribers have any real say in the supply chain process, and Glass Pharms® and Releaf saw an opportunity to create change here.
In the UK, there are approximately 40 private medical cannabis clinics. Nearly all of these clinics rely on the same few pharmacies, which in turn import medical cannabis from a limited pool of international suppliers, cultivators, and manufacturers of medical cannabis flower and prescribed oils.
With so many clinics prescribing the same 'stock' to an ever-increasing number of patients, it is easy to see how the supply chain can become overwhelmed and unable to keep up with demand. This leads to longer waiting times, higher costs, and ultimately, frustrated patients.
A New Partnership for a Better Supply Chain
Glass Pharms® is the first UK based medical cannabis farm to be granted a commercial licence by the Home Office to supply high-THC cannabis flower to UK based pharmacies and medical cannabis clinics. This huge achievement was made possible through their innovative and sustainable cultivation methods, which have been specifically tailored to meet the UK's regulations and standards.
Releaf is a rapidly growing medical cannabis clinic, and one of the real "movers and shakers" in the UK medical cannabis industry. Their mission is to provide effective, safe, and affordable access to medical cannabis for patients across the country with a clear focus on giving patients choices and not being restricted to a single pharmacy or supplier.
Together, Glass Pharms® and Releaf will be able to offer patients a more reliable supply chain with shorter waiting times, better quality control, and potentially even lower costs. And as the partnership grows, they plan to continue scaling the operation to meet the increasing demand for medical cannabis in the UK.
How is Glass Pharms® Able to Help?
By providing UK-based, high-quality medical cannabis products at a large scale, Glass Pharms® aims to alleviate the pressure on the current supply chain. With their unique cultivation methods and advanced technology, they can produce medical-grade cannabis flower at a much faster rate than traditional methods, and with more control over the consistency and quality of the product.
Innovative Cultivation Methods
Glass Pharms® have taken the cannabis cultivation model and turned it on its head.
They have taken all the best bits of traditional cultivation methods and combined it with the latest in technology, creating a new paradigm for the cannabis industry.
Their state-of-the-art facility has been designed with sustainability in mind, while also focusing on reducing the time it takes to grow cannabis plants. On top of this, the cultivation process implemented allows for a constant flow of high-quality medical cannabis, in a way that can be scaled up to meet the increasing demand.
Final thoughts
The partnership between Glass Pharms® and Releaf is a significant step towards improving the UK medical cannabis supply chain. By providing UK-based, high-quality medical cannabis products at a larger scale, patients will finally have a reliable route to access the treatment they need.
With a focus on sustainability, quality, and efficiency, this partnership is setting the standard for the future of medical cannabis - not just here in the UK, but worldwide.
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