A survey of 780 UK adults prescribed medical cannabis for anxiety, depression, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions has found that 97% said it improved their wellbeing and happiness, whilst 68% said it enabled them to work.
The survey, conducted by medical cannabis clinic Alternaleaf in February 2026, also found that 88% of patients said medical cannabis made them more optimistic about their future, while 81% said it made them more motivated.
The results come amid rising rates of mental illness and mental health incapacity across the UK. According to NHS England, 22.6% of 16 to 64-year-olds had a common mental health condition in 2024 – up from 18.9% in 2014. An estimated 1.7m people were waiting for NHS mental health treatment in England alone in 2025.
Most respondents (69%) said they had been prescribed medical cannabis for less than 12 months. Almost two out of three (62%) were living with at least one other long-term health condition, such as chronic pain, and one in five (20%) said they are waiting for NHS mental health treatment.
Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show approximately 1.5 million adults in England and Wales were receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for mental health conditions in October 2025 – up from 848,882 people in January 2020. A further 197,000 people in Scotland and 101,590 people in Northern Ireland are receiving disability benefits for mental health conditions.
“Our survey results confirm medical cannabis clinics can support the UK’s mental health response,” said Dr Anup Mathew, lead consultant psychiatrist at Alternaleaf.
“There is now strong international evidence showing medical cannabis can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions for some people.”
Jack, 32, from East London, is prescribed medical cannabis for mental health conditions by doctors at the clinic. “I had a mental breakdown in December 2024,“ he said. “I got signed off work and had really bad anxiety and depression. The biggest thing for me is I’ve been able to go back to work. I’m a lot calmer and have the confidence to go back to work. I started a new job on Monday. It’s nice to actually get back into work life.”
As of 2026, there are an estimated 80,000-100,000 medical cannabis patients in the UK. Despite the legalisation of medicinal cannabis in November 2018, research and polling suggest that between 1.4 and 1.8 million people in the UK are using cannabis sourced through non-prescription channels for medicinal purposes, many still relying on the illicit market. A recent parliamentary report found that the UK cannabis industry could be worth more than £5 billion per year and save the National Health Service billions in healthcare costs.
“Medical cannabis must not be conflated with street cannabis. Medical cannabis is quality-controlled medicine, which has been legally prescribed in the UK since 2018,” Dr Mathew said. “When taken under medical supervision, medical cannabis can safely alleviate mental health symptoms without unwanted side effects. As our survey shows, many people prescribed medical cannabis report significant improvements in mood, quality of life and their ability to work.”
