Kingston Council's People Committee has agreed to write to central government and relevant national bodies to call for clearer guidance on cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs). The move comes after a motion highlighted concerns that patients using these lawfully prescribed medications should not face stigma or discrimination when accessing services.
CBPMs have been legally available by prescription since November 2018 and can be prescribed by specialist doctors for a range of conditions, including some chronic pain, neurological, psychiatric, palliative care, and other long-term health conditions. The most common CBPMs prescribed on the NHS are Epidyolex (for rare forms of epilepsy), Nabilone (for patients undergoing chemotherapy), and Sativex (for treatment-resistant multiple sclerosis). Inhaled cannabis products are rarely prescribed via the NHS and are usually obtained from specialist private clinics.
The motion, originally proposed by Councillor James Giles and seconded by Councillor Yvonne Tracey, stressed that patients prescribed CBPMs might face stigma, inappropriate enforcement, or discrimination when accessing services, housing, employment, public buildings, or licensed premises due to a lack of public awareness about the legal position of prescribed medical cannabis. They should not be treated as though they are using illegal or recreational cannabis, nor should they be forced into smoking areas to take prescribed medication, especially if it exposes them to tobacco smoke or undermines their dignity, privacy, or health.
Officer comments presented to the committee indicated that CBPM use in Kingston is very low. The primary reasons cited for this are that NHS prescription rates for CBPMs are minimal in South-West London (11 prescriptions of Epidyolex were recorded in the last financial year, with no recorded prescriptions of Nabilone or Sativex), and there is minimal utilisation of drug and alcohol services for support with CBPM use. The council also stated that it does not regulate licensed premises or enforce the Equality Act within them.
While CBPM prescription is not a barrier to council accommodation or any other statutory council services, and there is no exclusion from council housing or temporary accommodation for people using clinically prescribed medication, the motion's requests for guidance, policy reviews, and communication with the police and housing providers were noted as requiring significant officer capacity not currently budgeted for. The current legal framework does not appear to present issues with smoke indoors, as most NHS-prescribed CBPMs are taken orally, and inhaled CBPMs are vaporised, producing no smoke. The Council also has no role in regulating the entry policies of licensed premises, with enforcement of the Equality Act within licensed venues resting with The Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Councillor Yvonne Tracey, speaking on behalf of Councillor Sabah Hamed, agreed with the principle of fair treatment for patients but questioned whether a local authority is the appropriate body to resolve what is a national legal, regulatory, and clinical matter. She emphasised the need for clarity and consistency at a national level, rather than a patchwork of local approaches. If local authorities adopt a 'patchwork of local approaches' instead of national consistency, patients prescribed CBPMs may face inconsistent treatment because the rules and guidance are not sufficiently clear.
The committee resolved to note the contents of the motion and the officer comments, and to write to central government and relevant national bodies for clearer guidance. The council intends to write to central government and the relevant national bodies
for clearer guidance, as clearer national guidance is most urgently needed for patients, businesses, Councils, and other public bodies regarding the legal status of CBPMs and the need to avoid unlawful discrimination.
The full details of the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack for the People Committee meeting on Thursday 17 September 2026.