End our Pain: Securing the Legalisation of Medical Cannabis

Government Relations and Public Affairs, Campaigns and Advocacy, PR and Media Relations

The Challenge

We set up the End our Pain campaign to legalise medical cannabis, bringing UK health policy in line with other European and major nations including the US, in allowing patients to use medical cannabis for a range of medical conditions.

Our Strategy

We put together an integrated media and public affairs campaign, which included:

• Developing and mobilising a supporter database to lobby MPs
• Working with the family of Alfie Dingley and leading celebrity advocates
• Securing the support of over 100 parliamentarians, including former Home Office Minister Sir Mike Penning MP and former Health Ministers Norman Lamb and Dan Poulter MP
• Building parliamentary and political pressure through urgent questions, Prime Minister’s questions and the creation of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Cannabis under Prescription
• Securing widespread and regular broadcast and print coverage

The Result

As result of our campaign, we were able to secure both the first licence for medical cannabis in the UK in June 2018 and the formal legalisation of medical cannabis in November 2018.