Medical Cannabis Users in the UK Receive Special ID Cards

Residents of the United Kingdom who use medical cannabis have been issued a special identification card that allows them to avoid penalties from the police. The Cancard is a special certificate for medical cannabis users in the UK. It can be obtained if a person has a prescription for cannabis from a certified doctor. So far, 17,380 people across the country have received this ID.

This measure was introduced to prevent police from mistaking medical users for criminals and to protect them from arrest. The initiative has been supported by representatives of both government and law enforcement agencies.

“Patients have strengthened their trust in law enforcement. This program demonstrates how important it is to provide police officers with all the necessary information so they can do their jobs fairly and effectively on the streets,” said Jason Kew, head of the drug enforcement department.

The UK legalized medical cannabis in 2018, but obtaining it legally was difficult or expensive, forcing people to turn to the black market. To help police distinguish between regular users and patients, the government decided to issue this document.

A large-scale survey in 2019 showed that nearly 3% of the UK’s adult population—about 1.4 million people—used cannabis as part of treatment for various medical conditions.