PHS FOI 2026-002465

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Date of request

31 August 2026

Date of response

10 September 2026

FOI request ID

PHS FOI 2026-002465

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• Pharmacy and prescribing

Request

“I write to request information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. I am a journalist and author researching medical cannabis access and NHS prescribing in Scotland for a long-form investigative publication. I would be grateful if Public Health Scotland could provide the following information, or direct me to the appropriate NHS Scotland body if this information is held elsewhere.

Request 13 — NHS Scotland Medical Cannabis Prescriptions
Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) were rescheduled in November 2018, permitting prescription by specialist clinicians on the NHS. Please provide:

1. The total number of NHS Scotland prescriptions for cannabis-based medicinal products issued in each financial year from 2018-19 to 2024-25 inclusive.”

2. “2. A breakdown of those prescriptions by product type (Epidyolex, Sativex, other licensed CBMPs, unlicensed CBMPs).”

3. “3. A breakdown of those prescriptions by clinical indication or condition, where this data is held.”

4. “4. The total number of individual patients who received at least one NHS Scotland CBMP prescription in each year.”

5. “Request 14 — NHS Scotland Dispensing Costs
   Please provide:

   1. The total net ingredient cost to NHS Scotland of dispensing cannabis-based medicinal products in each financial year from 2018-19 to 2024-25.
   2. If this data is held by individual NHS health boards rather than centrally, please provide the central figure where available, or confirm which health board(s) hold this information.”

   3. “Request 15 — Referral and Access Data
      Please provide, where held:

      1. The number of GP or specialist referrals for cannabis-based medicinal products made within NHS Scotland in each year from 2019-20 to 2024-25.”

   4. “2. Any Public Health Scotland analysis, report, or internal assessment of the gap between NHS and private prescribing of cannabis-based medicinal products in Scotland, produced since 2020.”