Medical cannabis in the UK: vapes and gummies grow faster than flowers

New data on the UK medical cannabis market suggest that patient habits are beginning to change. If cannabis flowers remain the dominant format prescribed to British patients, while newer products such as vaporizers and gummies (called «pastilles» over there to make it less palatable) are now growing much faster.

According to new figures from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) analyzed by Cannamonitor and published by Leafie, More than 15 tonnes of cannabis flowers were prescribed in 2025. Yet for the first time since the legalization of medical cannabis in November 2018, flowers have lost market share to other formats.

The data show that almost 633,000 prescribed cannabis products were dispensed in the first seven months of 2025 alone, representing 97 % of the total prescriptions recorded for the whole of 2024.

Vapes and gummies become the fastest-growing categories

Although flower prescriptions have increased considerably in recent years, growth in inhalable extracts and edible formats is now accelerating more rapidly. Monthly flower volumes rose from 158 kg in 2022 to 1,370 kg in July 2025, an eight-fold increase in three years. However, flowers' share of prescribed products fell slightly, from 84% to 83%.

At the same time, prescriptions for vaporizers jumped by 182% compared with monthly averages for 2024, while edible products increased by 131 %. Oils and tinctures also continued to grow, posting an increase of 27%.

«The UK is no longer an emerging market, but a growing one, and the development of clinical and supply infrastructures is driving demand,» said Arnau Valdovinos from Cannamonitor. «Some see it as a trend to follow in Germany's footsteps: discreetly legalizing cannabis through pharmacies.»

This trend reflects a wider diversification of the UK market. Five years ago, patients had little choice but to choose between flowers and oils. Today, prescriptions include a much wider variety of formats, from flowers to oils. THC and CBD cartridges, disposable vaporizers, oral lozenges and cannabinoid-balanced tinctures.

Product innovation reshapes patient consumption

For Arnau Valdovinos, the boom in vaporizers and oral products reflects a maturing market where innovation is increasingly driving growth, rather than simply increasing the number of patients.

«The UK flower market is growing fast, but the vaporizer and lozenge market is growing even faster, a dynamic already seen in Australia,» said Valdovinos. «The change is modest in relative terms, but it shows that product innovation is a real driver of market dynamics.»

The analysis also highlights differences in cannabinoid profiles across product categories. Inhalable products remain largely dominated by THC-rich formulations, with 97% of flowers and 88% of vaping products falling into this segment.

Oral products, on the other hand, show an increasing balance between THC and CBD. More than half of oral liquids now contain balanced cannabinoid ratios, while 77% of solid oral products are formulated with more balanced THC/CBD proportions.

The diversification of delivery methods could also reflect changing patient expectations, with some patients looking for more discreet, precise or convenient forms of administration than traditional flowers.

The UK market is developing at both ends of the power spectrum

The report further reveals changes in potency trends within the flower category itself. Average THC levels in prescribed flowers rose from 20.3% in 2022 to 23.8% in the first half of 2025.

However, the market is not only evolving towards more powerful products. Analysts describe a split between high-end, high-powered flowers and more affordable, lower-cost options.

The share of flower products exceeding 28% THC rose from 13 to 18%, while mid-range products, between 20 and 24% THC, lost market share. At the same time, flowers with less than 20% THC rebounded from 5 to 8%, thanks in part to the arrival on the market of cheaper products such as «smalls» and «popcorns».

«The data shows higher average potency, but also a split in the market at both ends: high-end products with high THC content at the top, and smalls and popcorns rebuilding the entry-level segment at the base,» said Valdovinos.

Beyond flowers, the UK market should continue to diversify in 2026 with the arrival of new niche products, including salves, extracts and suppositories.