United Kingdom: 17,000 patients with medical cannabis user cards

It's called the Cancard, but many prefer to call it the «Get Out of Jail Free» card, in reference to the famous board game Monopoly. Just three months after its launch, 17,380 Britons are now carrying this navy blue rectangle in their pockets. The goal? To avoid being arrested for cannabis possession when you’re a patient using the plant for medical treatment.

The Cannabis Card was launched in late 2020 by patient and activist Carly Barton, with the support for the medical cannabis industry.  And even though this document is by no means an official paper issued by the Ministry of Health, it has been a success. «A police officer approached me to ask what I was vaping, a British patient tells Vice UK. »I was really stressed out, but I explained the situation to him and showed him my card. He told me he liked the look of the card and wished me good luck."

In the United Kingdom, medical cannabis has been something of a fiasco. Launched in 2018, this program is actually only accessible to the wealthiest individuals. Cannabis prescriptions issued by the NHS—the public health service—are very rare. For the wealthiest individuals, this means turning to private clinics and paying 1,500 pounds (1,700 euros) per month, according to the founder of this card.

Patients are buying on the black market… and fear the police

As a result, patients continue to buy their cannabis on the black market. But with this substance in their possession, the police may view them as mere drug users. Hence the idea of creating a «get out of jail free» card to protect these patients from possible arrest.

This idea is supported by law enforcement agencies, specifically the Police Federation of England and Wales (124,000 officers) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council. «The fact that these patients are regaining their trust in the police shows how important it is to provide officers with all the information they need to do their jobs fairly and effectively.". The Cancard »helps you do that", says a police officer, as quoted by Vice.

«I would like to thank the police for working to reduce patients» stress—stress related to medication that is helping them.", says the document’s founder. According to Cancard, 20 other local police forces in the UK are looking into joining the “navy blue” initiative as well. Some members of Parliament also support this initiative. The government, for its part, has not yet issued an official response—neither in support nor in opposition.