Earlier this week, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society was proud to co-host the UK’s first Cannabis Health Symposium, where several of our executive committee members contributed to a packed agenda of education on cannabis-based medicine.

Out of almost 200 delegates, the event welcomed around 100 doctors – including 50 who had never prescribed medical cannabis before – to hear expert-led presentations, clinical case studies, and practical guidance to gain a deeper understanding of how it can safely and effectively support patients with a range of health conditions.

The Society was delighted to have several representatives presenting on the day and to welcome many new clinicians interested in prescribing safely, confidently, and in line with best practice.

Read on for a summary of some of the key talks by our MCCS committee members.

Building Prescriber Confidence: Best Practice, Training, and Governance | Professor Mike Barnes

MCCS Chair, Professor Mike Barnes opened the symposium by setting out the current landscape of UK medical cannabis prescribing and the clinical standards needed to safeguard patients. With around 80,000 patients and only 160 active prescribers – almost all in the private sector – he highlighted wide variation in practice quality, from excellent multidisciplinary clinics to services offering unsafe 10-minute consultations and limited communication with GPs.

Prof Barnes reiterated key principles from the MCCS Good Practice Guide, emphasising the importance of evidence-based product selection and advising clinicians to focus on chemovars and Certificates of Analysis rather than terminology like ‘indica’ and ‘sativa’. He also called for modernisation of the sector, from electronic prescribing to improved training pathways, arguing that clinical decisions must remain independent from commercial pressures.

🔗 Explore more about Good Practice in medical cannabis

NHS Integration – Bridging the Gap Between NHS and Private Providers | Dr Rob Forbes & Dr David Tang

Committee members Dr Rob Forbes and Dr David Tang took part in a panel discussion focused on the two-tier system created by the lack of NHS prescribing of CBPMs, hindered by strict unlicensed medicine rules, a lack of NICE advocacy, and institutional risk aversion. They described barriers ranging from stigma and poor communication to the misclassification of CBPMs as ‘cannabis misuse disorder’ in NHS records.

How Mobile Technology Changed the Way Canadians Access This Site of Gaming

The rise of smartphones fundamentally reshaped how Canadians interact with digital entertainment, and few sectors felt that shift as dramatically as online gaming. Between 2010 and 2020, mobile internet adoption in Canada climbed from roughly 40 percent of the population to over 85 percent, according to data from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. That expansion did not simply add a new device to the mix — it restructured the entire relationship between players and gaming platforms, altering when, where, and how often Canadians chose to engage. Understanding that transformation requires looking beyond the hardware itself and examining the regulatory, technological, and behavioral currents that carried it forward.

The Regulatory Landscape That Made Mobile Gaming Viable in Canada

Canada’s approach to online gaming has always been shaped by its federal structure, with provinces holding significant authority over gambling regulation. For most of the 2000s, that fragmented authority created uncertainty for both operators and players. Ontario’s iGaming framework, which came into full effect in April 2022, marked a turning point. For the first time, a major Canadian province created a competitive, regulated market where private operators could be licensed to offer real-money gaming to residents. That regulatory clarity had a direct effect on mobile development investment: operators who had previously been cautious about building polished, native mobile applications suddenly had a legal and commercial reason to do so.

Before Ontario’s framework, provincial lottery corporations like OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation) and Loto-Québec operated the only officially sanctioned online platforms in their respective jurisdictions. These platforms were functional but not optimized for the mobile experience that players increasingly expected. The arrival of licensed private operators brought with it years of accumulated mobile UX research and development from European and other regulated markets, accelerating the quality of what Canadian players could access on their phones almost overnight.

How Smartphone Hardware Drove Behavioral Change Among Canadian Players

The hardware improvements that arrived between 2015 and 2022 were not incremental — they were structural. The shift from 3G to 4G LTE networks, and then to 5G rollouts beginning in 2020 with carriers like Bell, Rogers, and Telus, reduced latency to the point where live-dealer gaming formats became genuinely playable on a mobile connection. Earlier, a live-streamed casino table game was prone to buffering and disconnection on a mobile network; by 2021, the same session on a 5G connection was often indistinguishable in quality from a desktop experience.

Screen size also played a role that is often underestimated. The average smartphone screen size grew from roughly 3.5 inches in 2010 to over 6.3 inches by 2022. That physical change made interface elements — card values, game controls, account menus — large enough to interact with comfortably without a mouse and keyboard. Game developers responded by redesigning interfaces specifically for portrait and landscape mobile orientations rather than simply scaling down desktop layouts. The result was a product that felt native to the device rather than adapted for it.

Canadian players also shifted their session patterns in measurable ways. Desktop gaming sessions had historically been longer and concentrated in evening hours. Mobile sessions, by contrast, became shorter and more distributed throughout the day — during commutes, lunch breaks, and brief periods of downtime. This behavioral shift pushed operators to rethink game design, favoring shorter round times, faster loading, and streamlined account access. The data gathered from mobile sessions also gave operators a more granular picture of player behavior than desktop analytics had ever provided, enabling more precise responsible gaming tools and session-time notifications.

Platform Architecture and the Technical Infrastructure Behind the Shift

The transition to mobile was not simply a matter of players switching devices. It required a fundamental rethinking of how gaming platforms were built and maintained. Early online gaming platforms were developed using Flash-based technology, which Apple’s iOS had blocked since 2010. That decision by Apple effectively forced the entire industry to migrate to HTML5, a process that was largely complete by 2017. HTML5 allowed games to run directly in a mobile browser without requiring a plugin, which dramatically lowered the barrier to access. A player in Vancouver or Halifax could open a browser on an Android or iOS device and begin playing within seconds, without downloading dedicated software.

The parallel development of dedicated mobile applications added another layer. Native apps, distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, allowed for push notifications, biometric login, and tighter integration with device hardware like cameras for identity verification. Some operators chose a hybrid approach, maintaining a browser-based experience alongside a downloadable app, giving players the choice that suited their preference. The technical complexity of maintaining both pathways increased operating costs, but the player acquisition data consistently showed that users who downloaded a native app had significantly higher retention rates than those who accessed platforms through a browser alone.

Payment infrastructure adapted in parallel. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay became supported deposit methods on a growing number of Canadian gaming platforms after 2019, removing the need to manually enter card details on a small screen. Interac e-Transfer, already familiar to most Canadians from everyday banking, became one of the most widely used deposit and withdrawal methods in the country specifically because it was designed for mobile-first use. The friction that had previously discouraged mobile transactions — fumbling with card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes — was substantially reduced, and conversion rates on mobile deposit attempts rose accordingly. Players researching their options across different platforms can find detailed comparisons on this site, where the technical specifications and payment options for various Canadian-accessible platforms are documented in a structured format.

Responsible Gaming Tools and the Mobile Advantage

One dimension of mobile gaming that receives less attention than it deserves is the effect that smartphone technology has had on responsible gaming infrastructure. Provincial regulators and operators alike have invested in tools designed to help players monitor and manage their activity, and mobile platforms have made those tools more effective in several concrete ways. Real-time session tracking, spend notifications, and deposit limit management are easier to implement and more immediately visible on a mobile interface than they were on desktop platforms, where such features were often buried in account settings menus.

The Responsible Gambling Council of Canada, which operates the national self-exclusion registry known as GameSense, has worked with operators to integrate self-exclusion mechanisms into mobile account management systems. A player who decides to take a break can now initiate that process from their phone in a matter of minutes, whereas previously the process might have required a phone call or an in-person visit. Ontario’s iGaming regulator, iGO (iGaming Ontario), has made responsible gaming tool integration a condition of licensing, which means that every operator legally offering services in Ontario must provide mobile-accessible limit-setting and self-exclusion functionality.

Geolocation technology, enabled by smartphone GPS hardware, has also added a layer of compliance capability that desktop platforms could not replicate. Some jurisdictions require that players be physically located within the province when accessing a platform, and mobile GPS verification makes that check more reliable than IP-address-based methods, which can be circumvented through VPNs or produce false positives when a player is near a provincial border. This technical capability has helped regulators enforce jurisdictional boundaries more consistently, which in turn has supported the argument for expanding regulated access in additional provinces beyond Ontario.

The transformation of Canadian gaming access through mobile technology is not a story with a clear endpoint. 5G infrastructure continues to expand into smaller cities and rural areas, reducing the geographic disparity in connection quality that has historically disadvantaged players outside major urban centers. Augmented reality and more immersive live-dealer formats are already in development, and the processing power of current flagship smartphones is sufficient to run them. What began as a convenience — the ability to play from a couch rather than a desk — has evolved into a complete reimagining of what a gaming platform is and who it can reach. The regulatory frameworks, the hardware improvements, and the behavioral adaptations of Canadian players have each reinforced the others, producing a mobile gaming environment that is more accessible, more technically sophisticated, and more carefully regulated than anything that existed a decade ago.

Panelists called for practical, system-level solutions such as shared documentation standards, interoperable digital systems, GP engagement, and national guidance clarifying responsibilities between sectors. They emphasised that private providers must “get their house in order” on data quality and communication, while NHS stakeholders need clearer pathways and better education.

Exploring the Endocannabinoid System | Dr Rowan Thompson

Dr Rowan Thompson delivered an engaging introduction to the endocannabinoid system (ECS), explaining its core components and its regulatory role across pain, mood, sleep, appetite, immune response, and cognition. Thompson also explored how diet, metabolic health, and chronic disease affect ECS tone, helping explain wide variation in patient responses to THC and CBD.

ECS dysregulation, he noted, is implicated across conditions commonly treated with CBPMs, from migraine and IBS to fibromyalgia and substance use disorders. Despite being one of the body’s major regulatory systems, the ECS is absent from all UK medical curricula, an omission he argued must be urgently addressed to support safe, effective prescribing.

The Role of the Pharmacist: Best Practice for Dispensing CBPMs | Zul Mamon

Pharmacist and expert committee member Zul Mamon presented an insightful account of current pharmacy-side challenges through the story of ‘Sarah’, a patient whose prescribing journey was marked by delays, poor communication, and uncertainty about how to use her medication. Mamon connected this experience to findings from the 2025 GPhC inspection, which identified widespread issues across 24 CBPM pharmacies, including inadequate access to clinical records, inconsistent safety checks, and insufficient pharmacist involvement in patient education.

He argued that pharmacists must act as clinical gatekeepers, providing safety verification, interaction checks, clear dosing guidance, and ongoing monitoring. To achieve this, the sector needs better training, more robust procurement processes, digital stock tracking, and structured communication between clinics and pharmacies.

🔗 Read Zul Mamon’s detailed blog taken from his presentation.

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs in Psychiatry & Neurodiversity | Dr Niraj Singh

Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Niraj Singh, explored the complex interface between CBPMs and psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions, where symptoms often overlap and patients present with multi-system needs. He noted that evidence points to meaningful benefits for selected individuals across anxiety, PTSD, mood instability, agitation, and autism-related symptoms.

Drawing on clinical experience, Dr Singh discussed atypical responses in neurodivergent patients, sex-based differences in THC requirements, and the value of balanced oils for daytime functioning. He stressed the need for cautious titration, robust follow-up, and clinician understanding of vulnerabilities such as trauma, emotional dysregulation, or sensory sensitivity.

Looking Forward: The Future of Cannabis Medicine in the UK | Dr Richard Hazlett

GP, Dr Richard Hazlett, took part in a forward-looking panel which discussed how to scale medical cannabis responsibly over the next five years. Panelists envisioned GP-initiated prescribing, NHS engagement, and more accessible formats such as vapourisers, pastilles, and transdermal systems. Education emerged as the most significant bottleneck, with almost no ECS content in medical training. The panel called for impartial, evidence-based guideline development led by professional bodies, alongside more regulatory engagement as patient numbers rise.

They also highlighted major cost-saving opportunities for the NHS, citing conditions like cluster headache and the broader potential for reduced polypharmacy and return-to-work outcomes. If one change could be made today, panellists prioritised enabling specialist GPs to prescribe, expanding product formats, and establishing robust training pathways.

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs for Pain Management | Professor Mike Barnes

Returning to the stage, Professor Barnes reviewed the substantial evidence supporting CBPMs for chronic pain, which represents 55% of UK prescriptions. He presented data from 66 RCTs and over 20,000 participants demonstrating efficacy across neuropathic, arthritic, spasticity-related, cancer-related, and post-surgical pain. THC is the primary analgesic agent, supported by multiple minor cannabinoids and terpenes, while CBD contributes by improving sleep and anxiety.

Typical therapeutic doses range from 10–30 mg THC per day, with real-world averages around 15 mg, and no evidence of tolerance escalation. Prof Barnes also highlighted strong data showing opioid reductions of up to 50% in many patients and potential population-level benefits in reducing opioid-related deaths. He referenced the health economics analysis which suggested medical cannabis could save billions for the NHS through reduced medication burden and improved functional outcomes.

Beyond the Benefits: Recognising Risks, Side-effects & Contraindications of CBPMs | Dr Jenny Forbes

Dr Jennifer Forbes, GP and addictions specialist, offered a practical overview of the key risks, side-effects and contraindications associated with prescribing unlicensed CBPMs, emphasising that rising patient demand must be matched with careful, accountable clinical practice. She highlighted how different formulations carry varying risk profiles, with oils and capsules offering more predictable dosing, while flower and vape cartridges deliver faster onset but higher THC peaks and increased likelihood of adverse events. Drug–drug interactions were underscored as a major concern, particularly CBD-related CYP450 inhibition affecting medications such as clobazam, SSRIs and warfarin.

Forbes stressed the importance of structured risk–benefit reasoning, thorough history-taking and clear communication about the unlicensed nature of treatment, driving rules and pregnancy considerations. She encouraged clinicians to titrate slowly, aim for the lowest effective THC exposure, and to use regular reviews, symptom diaries and the MHRA Yellow Card scheme to monitor safety.

Practicalities for Prescribing CBPMs in Women’s Health | Dr Dani Gordon

Dr Dani Gordon explored the wide applicability of CBPMs across women’s health, including menopause, PMDD, endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, postpartum symptoms, and neurodivergent presentations. She emphasised that women often present with interconnected issues making cannabis particularly suited to holistic symptom modulation.

Gordon discussed mechanisms including inflammation modulation, stress-axis regulation, and emerging evidence around mast cell involvement in endometriosis. She noted that women may require lower THC doses on average, and that oils are typically first-line, with inhaled options reserved for acute symptoms. Tracking symptoms across the menstrual cycle is essential for prescribing, as responses to cannabinoids may shift with hormonal fluctuations.

How to prescribe medical cannabis workshops

The Society also hosted two successful workshops during the event. Committee members Dr Jen Forbes and Dr Richard Hazlett, alongside Richard Cupit of PiB Insurance, delivered a session on How to Start Prescribing Medical Cannabis. This was followed by an overview of best practice and guidelines for dosing medical medical cannabis, delivered by Dr Rowan Thompson, an editor of our new publication on this topic.

A big thank you to all the clinicians and Society members who took part on the day.

New training and resources based on the committee-led talks will be available soon for any members who were unable to attend the symposium. Looking to join the Society? Find out more and sign up here.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society has released an important new clinical reference text for prescribers: Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children.

This comprehensive handbook brings together clear, evidence-based protocols for dosing, titrating, and monitoring medical cannabis promoting safe practice in real-world settings. It is now available as a PDF and Kindle eBook, with a print edition to follow.

Why this handbook matters

Prescribers working with medical cannabis oils have not had a single, structured, practical resource to guide dosing and titration. This publication fills that gap with detailed dosing tables for twelve commonly treated conditions, including chronic pain, epilepsy, autism, anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders.

It also sets out step-by-step recommendations for safe initiation, titration, monitoring, managing adverse effects, recognising drug interactions, and applying harm-reduction principles.

The handbook is edited by Dr Evan Cole Lewis, paediatric and adult neurologist and Assistant Professor at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, and Dr Rowan Thompson, Resident Doctor. Both are members of the Society’s Executive Committee and bring extensive experience in cannabinoid medicine. Other members of the Committee contributed clinical insights, case experience and technical input throughout the development of the handbook.

The text marries up-to-date evidence in condition-specific medical cannabis dosing with the collective expertise of key prescribers who have treated thousands of patients. Together this knowledge has helped shape this practical, evidence-informed resource that reflects real-world UK and North American prescribing practices. The guide provides clear, structured protocols that support safe prescribing in everyday clinical environments, with safety and clarity at the centre of its approach.

For many clinicians, formal teaching on the endocannabinoid system and cannabis-based medicines was absent from undergraduate and postgraduate training. This handbook closes that knowledge gap, giving prescribers a solid foundation for dosing cannabis oils, titrating confidently, and adjusting treatment to optimise patient outcomes.

A milestone for clinical practice

This publication represents a significant step forward for clinicians working with cannabis-based medicines in the UK and North America. It sets out standardised guidance shaped by the experience of prescribers who have been practising safely and effectively for many years.

The handbook aligns with the Society’s CPD-accredited medical cannabis training programme and supports clinicians to deliver consistent, evidence-based care across a wide range of conditions.

How the Challenge Cup Became a Betting Landmark, Explored by Betzella

The Challenge Cup is one of the oldest knockout rugby league competitions in the world, with roots stretching back to 1896 when the Northern Union — the forerunner to the Rugby Football League — first organised a structured cup competition for its member clubs. Over more than a century of play, the tournament has evolved from a regional northern England affair into a nationally broadcast spectacle, with Wembley Stadium serving as its spiritual home since 1929. That long, unbroken history has made the Challenge Cup not just a sporting institution but a significant fixture in the British sports betting calendar, one that attracts consistent wagering activity from the opening rounds through to the final in late summer.

A History That Created Betting Patterns

Understanding why the Challenge Cup generates such sustained betting interest requires looking at the structural features that distinguish it from league competition. As a knockout format, every match carries elimination stakes — there are no second chances, no points accumulated over a season. This binary outcome structure is precisely what makes cup football and cup rugby so attractive to bettors. The tension is compressed into ninety minutes, and the upset potential in a draw that pits lower-division clubs against Super League sides creates odds discrepancies that experienced bettors have long learned to analyse carefully.

The early rounds of the Challenge Cup, sometimes called the preliminary or qualifying rounds, have historically featured amateur and community clubs drawn against professional outfits. Since the Rugby Football League formalised the competition structure in its current form — with Super League clubs entering at the fifth round — there has been a consistent pattern of giant-killing results. Featherstone Rovers defeating higher-ranked opponents, or Leigh Centurions causing upsets before their own Super League promotion, are the kinds of historical precedents that shape how odds compilers approach early-round pricing. Bookmakers must account for genuine uncertainty in these fixtures, and that uncertainty is exactly where informed bettors find value.

By the 1990s, with the arrival of satellite broadcasting and the formation of Super League in 1996, the Challenge Cup gained significantly wider television exposure. Sky Sports coverage brought the competition to audiences beyond the traditional heartlands of West Yorkshire and Lancashire, and with that visibility came a corresponding increase in betting volumes. The 1996 restructuring of rugby league — which also shifted the season from winter to summer — changed the Challenge Cup’s position in the sporting calendar, placing the final in August and giving it a distinctive slot free from direct competition with football’s FA Cup or Carabao Cup finals.

How Odds Compilers Approach the Competition

The Challenge Cup presents specific challenges for trading teams at sportsbooks. Unlike the Premier League, where years of data on head-to-head records, squad depth, injury patterns and home advantage can be fed into sophisticated models, the cup format introduces variables that are harder to quantify. A Super League club might rotate its squad in the early rounds, fielding academy players and fringe squad members to protect key players for the league campaign. This squad management behaviour directly affects the accuracy of pre-match odds, and bettors who track team selection news closely have historically been able to identify mispriced lines.

Handicap betting has become particularly prominent in Challenge Cup markets. When a Super League club faces a Championship or League One opponent, the match odds market often becomes one-sided to the point of offering little value. The handicap market — where one team is given a points start — redistributes the probability and creates a more competitive wagering environment. In recent seasons, Asian handicap variants have been introduced by several operators for the more high-profile rounds, reflecting the growing sophistication of rugby league betting markets in Britain.

In-play betting has also transformed how the Challenge Cup is consumed by bettors. The scoring structure of rugby league — with tries worth four points, conversions two, drop goals one and penalties two — creates frequent score changes that generate a dynamic live odds environment. A team that scores two quick tries can shift from outsider to favourite within minutes, and bookmakers must manage their liability exposure in real time. Resources such as http://www.betzella.com/challenge-cup-betting/ aggregate market data and provide context on how odds move across different stages of the competition, which helps bettors understand the pricing logic behind specific fixtures rather than simply reacting to the numbers presented to them.

The Final as a Betting Event

The Challenge Cup final at Wembley has developed its own distinct betting culture. Unlike the semi-finals, which are often played at neutral venues across the north of England, the final draws a national audience and commands attention from bettors who may follow rugby league only peripherally during the regular season. This influx of casual money — what the industry refers to as recreational or square money — often creates temporary distortions in the market that more experienced bettors seek to exploit.

The 2022 final between Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants, for instance, attracted considerable betting interest partly because it was the first final held at Wembley after COVID-19 restrictions had prevented full-capacity crowds in 2021. Wigan, with their record number of Challenge Cup victories — they have won the trophy more than any other club, with over twenty titles — were installed as favourites, and the market reflected the weight of historical precedent as much as current form. This is a recurring dynamic in cup finals: the prestige of the occasion and the narrative weight of historical success influence public betting behaviour in ways that can move lines away from what purely statistical models would suggest.

Betzella has documented how the final week before the Challenge Cup final consistently sees a surge in outright and match betting activity, with a notable increase in accumulator bets that combine the final result with other weekend fixtures. This accumulator behaviour is partly driven by the final’s placement in August, when the football season is just beginning and bettors are naturally combining early Premier League matches with the rugby league showpiece. The cross-sport accumulator market is one area where operators have invested in building specific Challenge Cup promotions, though the underlying demand comes from the organic appeal of the competition itself.

Player performance markets have also grown substantially around the final. First try scorer, anytime try scorer, and man of the match betting are now standard offerings, and the Challenge Cup final — with its high-stakes environment and tendency to produce individual moments of brilliance — is well suited to these formats. Betzella’s analysis of historical final results shows that the first try scorer market in particular has been a source of consistent value when pre-match team news confirms a specific attacking player’s starting position, since the odds are often set before confirmed selections are made public.

Regulatory Context and Market Development

The growth of Challenge Cup betting has not occurred in isolation from the broader regulatory environment governing sports wagering in Britain. The Gambling Act 2005 created the framework under which online betting on rugby league — and the Challenge Cup specifically — operates, and subsequent reviews by the Gambling Commission have tightened requirements around advertising, responsible gambling messaging, and data integrity. The Rugby Football League itself has a commercial relationship with the betting industry through official betting partnerships, which have included major operators providing pitch-side branding and digital advertising during televised matches.

Integrity monitoring is a formal part of the Challenge Cup’s administrative structure. The Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, which operates in cooperation with governing bodies across British sport, monitors suspicious betting patterns on rugby league matches. The lower-division rounds of the Challenge Cup — where player earnings are modest and professional infrastructure is limited — have historically been identified as a category requiring closer scrutiny, though the RFL’s educational programmes for players and officials have worked to address vulnerability to match-fixing approaches.

The introduction of the Gambling Commission’s National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, published in 2019 and updated subsequently, has also influenced how operators market Challenge Cup betting products. Restrictions on bonus offers, enhanced requirements for affordability checks, and tighter rules on the use of credit cards for gambling deposits have all shaped the commercial environment within which Challenge Cup betting markets operate. These regulatory changes have not diminished interest in the competition as a betting event, but they have shifted the profile of who participates and how operators can communicate with their customer base.

The Challenge Cup’s journey from a regional knockout competition played in front of modest crowds in the north of England to a nationally recognised betting landmark reflects both the growth of rugby league as a broadcast sport and the broader maturation of the British sports betting market. The competition’s structural characteristics — knockout format, mixed-division draws, a prestigious Wembley final — align naturally with the conditions that generate sustained betting interest. For anyone seeking to understand rugby league wagering beyond surface-level match odds, the Challenge Cup offers a genuinely instructive case study in how history, competition structure, and market dynamics interact to produce a betting event with genuine depth and complexity.

Clinicians are encouraged to use the handbook alongside two key MCCS resources:

The Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of CBPMs
The MCCS in-person CPD-accredited training programme, presented monthly by Professor Barnes

Together, these resources provide a unified framework for safe, consistent prescribing across the UK.

Part of a growing series

A second publication in this series is already being developed: Medical Cannabis Flower (Flos), minor cannabinoids and terpenes: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment. This follow-on text will provide detailed protocols for prescribing inhaled cannabis products and is expected in the coming months.

Buy Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children.

This key resource for all prescribers of medical cannabis in the UK is available to buy now:

PDF: via the MCCS Shopify site
Kindle eBook: via Amazon
Print edition: coming soon

MCCS members can access an exclusive discount code for the PDF edition via the Members’ Hub. Please note, this is a professional clinical reference and not a patient-facing guide.

Hear from the editors in our upcoming webinar

A free webinar, hosted by the handbook’s editors Dr Evan Cole Lewis and Dr Rowan Thompson, is taking place on 15 January, 2026 at 7pm. The session will walk through how to use the new dosing guide in practice, covering titration strategies, start-low-go-slow principles, when to introduce THC, and how to apply the handbook’s clinical frameworks safely.

Sign up for the webinar here

Date: Thursday 15 January 2026 | Time: 7:00pm (UK) | Register: Click to register now via Zoom

In this practical session, Dr Evan Cole Lewis and Dr Rowan Thompson, editors of the new MCCS dosing guide for medical cannabis oils, will walk through the key principles of safe, effective oil-based prescribing. The webinar introduces clinicians to the frameworks set out in Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children, the first comprehensive guide to dosing and titrating medical cannabis oils in the UK.

Across this focused hour, attendees will explore evidence-informed protocols for oil initiation, titration, monitoring, follow-up, and when to introduce THC. The session is designed to support clinicians in applying consistent, structured approaches to prescribing medical cannabis oils in real-world settings.

Developed by clinicians for clinicians, the new dosing guidance brings clarity, safety and consistency to an area that has, until now, lacked unified standards. Dr Evan Lewis and Dr Rowan Thompson will explain why structured oil dosing matters, how the handbook was developed, and how prescribers can use the framework to strengthen decision-making and improve patient outcomes. A must-attend for clinicians seeking practical, reliable tools for safe, defensible oil-based prescribing.

What you will learn

How to use the new MCCS dosing guide for medical cannabis oils
Step-by-step titration strategies, including start-low-go-slow principles
When and how to introduce THC safely
How to monitor, adjust and troubleshoot treatment over time
How structured dosing and titration improve safety, consistency and clinical outcomes
Practical tips for integrating the guidance into assessments, follow-up and documentation

Who should attend?

Open to all clinicians, including:

Specialist consultants, GPs, and independent prescribers
Pharmacists, nurses, AHPs and clinic managers

Register for Free
This 45-minute session will be followed by a 15-minute open Q&A with Dr Evan Lewis and Dr Rowan Thompson, giving attendees the opportunity to explore real-world dosing challenges, titration decisions, and safe prescribing practice in more depth.

Places are free but limited, so register now to secure your spot and learn how to apply structured, evidence-informed dosing guidance in your clinical work.

Congratulations to consultant psychiatrist Dr Luisa Searle, member of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society Expert Committee, who has been named Clinician of the Year at the 2025 Cannabis Industry Awards. The award was presented and sponsored by British Cannabis, recognising excellence, innovation, and compassion in clinical practice.

A member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists with more than 15 years’ experience, Dr Searle has worked across general adult psychiatry, substance misuse and complex dual-diagnosis care. Her clinical approach bridges conventional and emerging therapies, with special interest in medical cannabis, nutritional psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted treatments for resistant depression and substance-use disorders. Dr Searle’s earlier work as lead consultant for substance-misuse services in Westminster and for Camden & Islington’s under-18 and under-25 programmes helped shape outreach pathways for vulnerable and homeless populations.

Now consulting independently through Mind Balance and Cantourage, Dr Searle continues to champion a holistic, evidence-informed model of care that integrates empathy, patient empowerment, and novel treatment modalities.

On receiving her award, Dr Searle told attendees, “When you keep empathy at the heart of everything you do, you can always find a way to help your patients on their journey.”

As an Expert Committee member of the Society, Dr Searle supports new and experienced members alike, sharing her insights to help clinicians practise confidently and safely in this evolving field.

The Society’s Chair, Professor Mike Barnes, congratulated her on the win, noting that “Dr Searle is a superb example of what good clinical care looks like – kind, thoughtful and always guided by evidence. Her award is well deserved and reflects the best of our community.”

The MCCS is the UK’s independent, not-for-profit network for healthcare professionals working with or learning about medical cannabis. With over 500 members, the Society provides CPD-accredited training, clinical guidance, peer support, and advocacy to improve safe patient access across the UK and beyond.

If you’re a clinician interested in understanding or prescribing medical cannabis, join the independent network trusted by regulators and led by experts.

Dr Searle (left) with the other winners of the CI Awards 2025.

The APPG on Medical Cannabis under Prescription has released Recommendations for Government (November 2025) – a cross-party call to unlock the potential of the UK medical cannabis sector.

📓 Download the full APPG report (PDF)

Our paper, prepared by Professor Mike Barnes and experts from the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, sets out a clear route to unlock the potential of the UK medical cannabis sector. Seven years after legalisation, the industry remains held back by complex regulation and restrictive guidance, but this does not need to continue.

Medical cannabis is safe, effective and proven to transform lives for patients with conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. With the right policy framework, the UK can create a system that works for patients, clinicians and the economy.

Our recommendations are practical, evidence-based and designed to ensure that patients gain fair access while the UK builds a strong, ethical and competitive medical cannabis industry. It is time for the government to act on expert advice and deliver meaningful reform.

The key facts

Only six NHS prescriptions have been issued for full-spectrum cannabis medicines since legalisation in 2018.
Around 1.4 million people still rely on illicit cannabis for medical use.
The mature UK market could be worth £5 billion a year and support 100,000 jobs.
Over 70 countries now have legal medical cannabis frameworks – the UK lags behind.

Our cross-party recommendations

Establish a central fund for existing children with drug-resistant epilepsy

Ensure those already prescribed can continue treatment proven to reduce seizures. This funding would protect vulnerable patients and uphold the intent of the 2018 law change.
Create a national approval system for new child epilepsy patients

Establish a central approval system for prescribing cannabis-based medicines for children with drug-resistant epilepsy via an expert panel who would assess cases where at least three licensed treatments have failed, ensuring equitable access.
Commission new NICE guidelines

Recognise cannabis as a botanical, not a conventional pharmaceutical. Include real-world and observational data, not just randomised trials, and integrate international evidence.
Ensure CQC awareness of the Good Practice Guidelines

Ensure the CQC is aware of the Good Practice Guidelines produced by the MCCS when approving and inspecting cannabis clinics and compare practice against those guidelines.
Commission a proper and thorough health-economic analysis

Conduct a comprehensive study to measure savings from reduced drug use, hospital admissions, and care costs, alongside improved patient outcomes and productivity. Evidence suggests medical cannabis could save over £1,000 per patient each year, delivering major economic and health benefits.
Enable electronic prescribing of controlled drugs in the private sector

Extend the NHS electronic prescribing system to the private sector to reduce delays and strengthen security, improving safety and convenience for both patients and clinicians.
Ease export restrictions for medical cannabis products

Allow all EU-GMP-compliant UK cannabis producers to export their products to attract investment, create new revenue streams, strengthen the domestic industry, and secure the UK’s position as a global leader in medical cannabis.
Review the medical cannabis sector in full

Conduct an inter-departmental review involving the Home Office, MHRA, DHSC, and CQC to create clearer, more effective pathways developed in consultation with industry experts and clinicians.

Why it matters

Without urgent reform, we will continue to see patients suffer and the UK will lose a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a world-leading medical cannabis industry. We know that medical cannabis is already saving lives and reducing healthcare costs in other countries, and we know the evidence base supporting it is strong and growing.

We have seen first-hand the difference it makes. Our report includes the case of Alfie Dingley, whose NHS care costs fell by £130,000 a year after starting cannabis treatment. We believe no family should face financial hardship to access life-saving medicine, equality of access must be at the heart of government policy.

We also know the benefits reach far beyond patients. A regulated UK medical cannabis market could generate billions in annual revenue, drive export growth and create tens of thousands of skilled jobs across science, healthcare, agriculture, research, technology and logistics.

We have the expertise, the evidence and the infrastructure. Now, we need the political will to act.

How Betzoid Breaks Down Football Prediction Data and Statistics

Football prediction has evolved from a casual pastime into a sophisticated discipline grounded in data science, statistical modeling, and algorithmic analysis. As the global appetite for sports analytics continues to grow, platforms dedicated to breaking down complex football data have become increasingly important to bettors, analysts, and enthusiasts alike. Understanding how prediction platforms process and present statistical information is essential for anyone seeking to make informed decisions rather than relying purely on intuition. Among the platforms that have developed a structured approach to football data analysis, Betzoid has built a reputation for offering layered, transparent breakdowns of prediction metrics that help users interpret odds and performance trends with greater clarity and confidence.

The Foundation of Football Statistical Analysis

Modern football statistics extend far beyond simple win-loss records. The analytical frameworks used by serious prediction platforms draw from a wide range of data points, including expected goals (xG), possession percentages, shot accuracy, defensive pressure metrics, player availability, head-to-head historical records, and even environmental factors such as weather conditions and travel fatigue. The development of expected goals as a metric in the early 2010s, largely popularized by analysts like Sam Green and later adopted by major football leagues, fundamentally changed how matches are evaluated beyond their surface-level results.

Betzoid incorporates these multi-dimensional statistics into its prediction models by evaluating not just what happened in previous matches, but how efficiently teams performed relative to the opportunities they created and conceded. This distinction is critical. A team that wins 2-0 but generates only 0.8 xG while their opponents produce 2.3 xG has won against the run of statistical play, and this information significantly affects the reliability of projecting their future performance. By weighting recent form against longer-term performance averages, Betzoid’s analytical approach attempts to separate genuine quality from short-term variance, which is one of the most persistent challenges in football prediction.

Historical context also plays a vital role. Certain fixture types carry patterns that transcend current form. Derby matches, for instance, statistically produce fewer goals than neutral fixtures between teams of comparable quality, largely due to elevated defensive intensity and psychological pressure. Similarly, teams playing their third match within seven days show measurable declines in physical output, reflected in reduced sprint distances and lower pressing intensity. Betzoid factors these contextual variables into its assessments, acknowledging that raw performance data must always be interpreted within the specific circumstances surrounding each fixture.

How Prediction Models Are Structured and Validated

The construction of a reliable football prediction model requires both a robust data collection infrastructure and a rigorous validation methodology. Raw data is gathered from match event feeds, official league statistics, and tracking data providers. This information is then cleaned, normalized, and fed into probabilistic models that assign likelihood values to various match outcomes. The most commonly used frameworks in professional sports analytics include Poisson distribution models, which estimate goal probabilities based on historical scoring rates, and more advanced machine learning approaches that identify non-linear relationships between variables.

Betzoid structures its prediction outputs to reflect probability rather than certainty, which is an important distinction that separates analytically grounded platforms from those that present predictions as definitive outcomes. Each prediction is accompanied by confidence indicators and supporting statistical rationale, allowing users to understand the reasoning behind a particular assessment rather than simply receiving a recommendation without context. This transparency is particularly valuable for users who want to develop their own analytical literacy over time rather than remaining entirely dependent on algorithmic outputs.

Validation is perhaps the most demanding aspect of prediction modeling. A model that appears accurate over fifty matches may perform poorly over five hundred if it has been overfitted to a specific dataset. Betzoid addresses this challenge by maintaining historical prediction records that allow users to assess long-term accuracy rates across different leagues and match types. For those interested in exploring the full range of analytical tools and prediction breakdowns available, visiting https://betzoid.net/ provides access to a comprehensive suite of resources that illustrate how statistical data is organized and presented across multiple football competitions worldwide. The platform’s commitment to displaying historical performance data reflects an understanding that credibility in prediction analytics is built through demonstrated consistency rather than selective presentation of favorable results.

League-specific calibration is another critical component. A Poisson model calibrated on Premier League data will not perform equally well when applied to, say, the Bulgarian First Professional League, where scoring rates, defensive structures, and competitive balance differ substantially. Betzoid maintains separate analytical parameters for different competitions, acknowledging that football is not a monolithic sport but a collection of distinct competitive environments, each with its own statistical characteristics and tendencies.

Interpreting Key Metrics and Understanding Their Limitations

One of the most valuable services a prediction platform can provide is not simply presenting data, but educating users on how to interpret that data accurately. Several metrics that appear straightforward are frequently misunderstood, leading to analytical errors that distort prediction quality. Expected goals, for example, is often treated as a direct measure of team quality, when in reality it measures the quality of chances created and conceded based on historical conversion rates from similar positions. A team with elite finishing ability may consistently outperform their xG, making raw xG comparisons somewhat misleading when applied to such teams.

Betzoid addresses this interpretive challenge by presenting xG data alongside actual goal records and conversion rates, enabling users to identify whether a team’s performance relative to expectation reflects genuine skill or statistical noise. Over a large enough sample, most teams regress toward their expected values, but the sample sizes required for confident regression predictions are often larger than a single season, particularly in competitions with fewer matches. This nuance is rarely communicated by simpler prediction services, yet it fundamentally affects how much weight should be placed on any single statistical indicator.

Defensive metrics present similar interpretive complexities. A team conceding few goals may appear defensively strong, but if their xG against is high and their goalkeeper is significantly outperforming expected save percentages, the apparent defensive solidity may be more fragile than the scoreline suggests. Betzoid’s breakdown of defensive performance distinguishes between structural defensive quality, measured through metrics like shots allowed, defensive actions, and opposition chance quality, and goalkeeper-dependent outcomes that are subject to greater variance over time.

Form analysis is another area where surface-level reading can mislead. A five-match winning streak sounds impressive, but if those victories came against bottom-half opposition while the team’s xG data shows declining offensive efficiency, the streak may not reliably predict performance against stronger upcoming opponents. Betzoid’s form assessments incorporate opponent quality adjustments, a technique known as strength of schedule correction, which provides a more accurate picture of where a team genuinely stands in terms of competitive performance rather than raw results.

The Role of Real-Time Data and Injury Intelligence

Static historical data, while foundational, is insufficient for producing high-quality predictions in a sport where team composition changes dramatically from week to week. Injuries, suspensions, tactical rotations, and managerial changes can fundamentally alter a team’s expected performance profile. The integration of real-time information into prediction models represents one of the most significant recent developments in football analytics, and it is an area where the quality gap between different platforms becomes most apparent.

Betzoid incorporates injury and availability data into its prediction adjustments, recognizing that the absence of a key midfielder or central defender can shift match probabilities by several percentage points. This is not merely a qualitative judgment but a quantifiable impact, as player contribution models can estimate how much a specific player influences their team’s xG generation and suppression. When a top striker misses a fixture, the team’s expected offensive output drops in a measurable way, and this should be reflected in adjusted prediction probabilities rather than ignored in favor of team-level aggregates.

Tactical context is equally important and increasingly integrated into sophisticated prediction frameworks. The rise of detailed event data has made it possible to quantify pressing intensity, defensive line height, and attacking width, all of which influence how matches are likely to unfold stylistically. When two high-pressing teams meet, the statistical likelihood of an open, high-scoring game increases. When a deep-defensive team faces a possession-dominant side, different probability distributions apply. Betzoid’s analytical outputs reflect these tactical dynamics, providing users with a richer understanding of why certain predictions are made rather than simply what the prediction is.

The broader significance of platforms like Betzoid lies in their contribution to a more analytically informed football culture. By making sophisticated statistical methods accessible and comprehensible to a wider audience, they help shift the conversation around football prediction from guesswork and narrative-driven thinking toward evidence-based reasoning. This does not eliminate uncertainty, which is inherent to sport, but it does allow for more systematic and disciplined engagement with the genuine complexity that football statistics represent.

Conclusion

Football prediction data, when properly structured and transparently presented, offers genuine insight into the probabilistic nature of match outcomes. Betzoid’s approach to breaking down statistical information reflects a commitment to analytical depth, historical accountability, and interpretive clarity that distinguishes serious prediction platforms from superficial alternatives. By combining expected goals analysis, league-specific modeling, real-time injury intelligence, and strength-of-schedule corrections, the platform provides users with a comprehensive framework for understanding football data rather than simply consuming it. For analysts and enthusiasts alike, developing fluency in these methods ultimately leads to a more sophisticated and rewarding engagement with the sport.

Summary for policymakers and stakeholders

Our recommendations are practical and grounded in evidence. We already have the framework for regulation, the medical expertise, and an industry ready to grow. What is missing is decisive government action.

We have worked together across parties and with experts from across the sector to create a clear, credible roadmap for a safe, ethical and economically powerful medical cannabis system in the UK. We know what needs to be done – now it is time for government to act.

Reform policy to support patient access and clinician confidence.
Rebuild NICE guidance on real-world evidence.
Support UK producers and exports to secure economic gains.
Commission an industry-wide review to remove duplication and regulatory friction.

If implemented, these measures would transform access for patients, restore confidence among prescribers and investors, and establish the UK as a leader in safe, regulated medical cannabis innovation.

Download the full report

Read the complete Recommendations for Government (November 2025) report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Cannabis under Prescription.

📓 Download the full APPG report (PDF)

Date: Thursday 20 November 2025 | Time: 7:00pm (UK) | Register: Click to register now via Zoom

In this practical session, Professor Mike Barnes, Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS), will walk through the key principles of the Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products (CBPMs) – the definitive framework for safe, ethical, and compliant prescribing in the UK. In this webinar, explore the updated guidance, including best practice in consultations, peer review, prescribing protocols, and follow-up care.

Developed by clinicians for clinicians, the Guide brings clarity and consistency to an evolving field. Professor Barnes will explain why the framework matters, how it aligns with GMC and MHRA expectations, and how prescribers can apply it to strengthen clinical practice and protect patients.

A must-attend for clinicians and clinic managers who want to ensure they meet professional standards and deliver safe, defensible care.

What you will learn

What defines good practice in medical cannabis prescribing
The role of the Good Practice Guide in ensuring consistency, safety, and accountability
How to apply the guidelines in clinical consultations, documentation, and shared care
The importance of peer review, outcome tracking, and ongoing professional development

Who should attend?

Open to all professionals working in or around medical cannabis prescribing, including:

Specialist consultants, GPs, and independent prescribers
Pharmacists, nurses, and clinic managers
Medical educators, regulators, and industry stakeholders

Register for Free
This 45-minute session will be followed by a 15-minute open Q&A with Professor Barnes, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and discuss real-world applications of the Good Practice framework.

Places are free but limited – register now to secure your spot and join the conversation on raising standards in medical cannabis prescribing.

How U SPORTS Football Betting Has Grown in Canada, per Betlama

Canadian sports betting has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past several years, and few corners of that transformation are as instructive as the rise of U SPORTS football wagering. U SPORTS, the governing body for university athletics in Canada, oversees a football landscape that spans dozens of programs from coast to coast, organized into four regional conferences: the Atlantic University Sport (AUS), Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), and Canada West. For most of its history, this competition attracted passionate campus followings but almost no meaningful attention from the commercial betting industry. That has changed substantially since 2021, and understanding why requires looking at both the legislative shifts that reshaped Canadian gambling law and the organic growth of university football as a product worth pricing.

The Legislative Turning Point: Bill C-218 and Its Aftermath

The single most consequential event for sports betting in Canada was the passage of Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which received Royal Assent on June 29, 2021, and came into force on August 27 of that year. Before that date, Canadian law under the Criminal Code restricted legal sports wagering almost entirely to parlay formats offered by provincial lottery corporations — bettors could not place a single-game wager on any sporting event through a regulated domestic operator. The amendment to Section 207 of the Criminal Code removed that prohibition, allowing each province to license and regulate single-event sports betting within its own jurisdiction.

Ontario moved fastest and most ambitiously, launching its iGaming Ontario framework on April 4, 2022. Within months, dozens of internationally recognized sportsbook operators were accepting registrations from Ontario residents under a regulated structure overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). British Columbia, Alberta, and other provinces followed with varying degrees of openness, either expanding their existing provincial platforms or creating pathways for private operators. The practical effect was immediate: sportsbooks that had previously been unable to market single-game lines to Canadians could now do so legally, and they began building out their Canadian content offerings aggressively. University football, with its weekly schedule running from late August through November and its built-in regional fanbases, became a logical candidate for inclusion.

Why U SPORTS Football Became a Viable Betting Market

The inclusion of U SPORTS football in sportsbook offerings was not automatic. Operators weigh several factors before pricing a market: data availability, liquidity expectations, integrity risk, and audience size. University football in Canada had historically struggled on all four counts. There was no centralized, publicly accessible play-by-play data feed comparable to what the NFL or CFL provides to licensed data partners. Attendance figures, while respectable at programs like Western Mustangs, Calgary Dinos, and Laval Rouge et Or, were modest by professional standards. And the amateur status of the athletes, combined with limited institutional oversight of betting-related integrity issues, made some operators cautious.

Several developments helped overcome those barriers. The U SPORTS organization began working more deliberately with data and media partners, and conference-level streaming arrangements — particularly through platforms like Streaming.ussports.ca and various conference partnerships with regional broadcasters — improved the visibility of games. The Laval Rouge et Or dynasty, which has won multiple Vanier Cup championships and consistently draws significant Quebec media attention, helped demonstrate that university football could generate genuine public interest beyond the campus gates. Programs in Ontario, particularly the Western Mustangs and the Guelph Gryphons, have similarly sustained strong attendance and media profiles. As operators became more comfortable with the product, lines began appearing on a more consistent basis, and bettors who had previously been limited to NFL and CFL options found themselves with a new domestic option to explore. Resources cataloguing the available markets — such as the dedicated section at http://www.betlama.com/u-sports-football-betting/, where current odds formats and conference coverage are outlined — reflect how the operator landscape has consolidated around this niche in a relatively short period.

The integrity dimension deserves specific attention. In 2022 and 2023, U SPORTS entered into discussions with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and various provincial regulators about establishing clearer protocols for athlete education around sports betting. This was not unique to football — it was a system-wide response to the new legal environment — but football, as the highest-profile U SPORTS team sport by attendance, was a natural focus. The existence of these protocols, even in early form, gave some operators additional confidence that the governing body was taking the commercial betting environment seriously.

Bettor Behavior and Market Characteristics

The profile of a U SPORTS football bettor differs meaningfully from the average CFL or NFL bettor. Survey data collected by iGaming Ontario in its early market reports, as well as independent research from organizations like the Responsible Gambling Council, suggests that university sports bettors in Canada tend to be younger, more likely to have a direct connection to the institution whose team they are following, and more likely to combine sports betting with other forms of sports consumption such as attending games or following team social media accounts. This creates a market that is geographically concentrated — Ontario bettors disproportionately favor OUA matchups, Quebec bettors follow RSEQ games closely — and seasonally compressed into a roughly fourteen-week window.

The types of wagers available on U SPORTS football have also evolved. Initially, operators offered only moneyline and point spread markets on the most prominent matchups, particularly Vanier Cup semifinal and final games. By the 2023 season, several operators had expanded to include game totals and, in some cases, first-half lines on marquee regular-season games. Live in-game betting, which requires a reliable and low-latency data feed, has been slower to arrive for U SPORTS than for professional leagues, but the infrastructure improvements underway suggest it will become more common as the market matures. Betlama, among the operators tracking this space, has noted the gradual expansion of market depth as one of the clearer indicators that U SPORTS football is being treated as a sustainable product rather than a novelty offering.

Point spreads for U SPORTS games tend to be tighter than those seen in American college football, partly because the talent differential between the top and bottom programs in each conference is smaller than in a system like the NCAA, where Power Five programs can outclass Group of Five opponents by thirty or more points. The OUA, for instance, features genuine competitive balance across eight or nine programs in a typical season, which makes spread betting more nuanced and, arguably, more interesting for experienced bettors who have done their homework on team statistics and injury reports.

The Road Ahead: Structural Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the progress made since 2021, U SPORTS football betting faces structural challenges that will shape how quickly it continues to grow. Data infrastructure remains the most pressing issue. Professional leagues have long-standing relationships with official data providers — Sportradar and Genius Sports are the dominant players globally — and those relationships come with contractual guarantees about data accuracy, speed, and completeness. U SPORTS does not yet have equivalent arrangements across all its conferences, which means some operators are working with less reliable data sources and, as a result, may be slower to price markets or quicker to suspend betting during games when data feeds become unreliable.

Responsible gambling considerations are also particularly salient in a university context. The student-athlete population is young and, in many cases, on campus alongside the general student population that forms a significant part of the betting audience. Both U SPORTS and provincial regulators have acknowledged the need for ongoing education programs that address the specific dynamics of betting on games involving athletes that bettors may know personally or interact with socially. The AGCO has indicated that responsible gambling conditions will remain a central part of its licensing framework, and operators marketing U SPORTS content are expected to comply with the same advertising restrictions that apply to professional sports — including prohibitions on using athletes in betting advertisements and restrictions on marketing directed at minors.

On the opportunity side, the Vanier Cup — the national championship game held annually in late November — represents the clearest near-term growth lever. The 2023 edition, held in Quebec City, drew strong television numbers on Sportsnet and generated measurable betting handle relative to prior years. As the event continues to build its national profile and as more operators include it in their featured promotions during the November sports calendar, handle figures are likely to increase. The expansion of legal betting into additional provinces, particularly if Alberta moves forward with a private operator model similar to Ontario’s iGaming framework, would also broaden the addressable market for U SPORTS football significantly. Betlama has been among the operators monitoring provincial regulatory developments as a leading indicator of where U SPORTS market growth is likely to accelerate next.

The growth of U SPORTS football betting in Canada is best understood not as a sudden phenomenon but as the intersection of long-overdue legal reform, incremental improvements in data and media infrastructure, and a genuine regional appetite for university sport that predates the betting market by decades. The legislative change in 2021 created the conditions; the work done by conferences, programs, and operators to build out the product has determined how quickly those conditions have been exploited. What remains clear is that university football in Canada is no longer an afterthought in the sports betting conversation — it occupies a recognized, if still developing, place in the commercial landscape that Canadian sports wagering has become.

Prescribing medical cannabis in the UK is still a relatively new area of practice. While the clinical opportunities are growing, doctors entering this field face a unique set of risks and regulatory requirements. One of the most important – and often misunderstood – parts of working privately with cannabis medicines is making sure you have the right insurance in place.

In this article, we spoke to Richard Cupit, Head of Healthcare at PIB Insurance Brokers, who has pioneered the firm’s medical cannabis policy, to help prescribing clinicians ensure they have all bases covered.

Why insurance is so important for medical cannabis prescribers

Unlike NHS doctors, who are automatically covered by the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST), medical cannabis prescribers usually work privately. This means they must arrange their own insurance cover.

The General Medical Council (GMC) states that if you are practising medicine privately in the UK, you must have “adequate and appropriate insurance or indemnity arrangements in place covering the full scope of your medical practice.” This applies even if you’re working within NHS premises but prescribing privately.

In practice, this means that doctors stepping into cannabis prescribing – often for the first time outside the NHS – need to think differently about their professional protection.

The majority of cannabis-based medicines prescribed in the UK are also unlicensed, meaning prescribers take full clinical responsibility for their use. Not having the right insurance coverage in place could prevent you from practicing and could even jeopardise your career and have legal consequences.

Common misconceptions about medical cannabis insurance

It’s not automatically included

Many assume that existing coverage extends to CBPM prescribing, but in many cases, insurance providers still have exclusionary policies in place when it comes to cannabis.

MDO membership isn’t the same as insurance
- Defence organisations often provide discretionary indemnity, not guaranteed cover. Insurance, on the other hand, is a contractual promise to pay.
Cover must be active at the time of the claim
- If your policy ends, so does your protection – unless you arrange run-off cover.
Long-tail risk
- Claims can arise years later. For example, the statute of limitations is three years for adults, 21 years for minors, and unlimited for patients with mental health conditions. This makes run-off cover particularly important for cannabis prescribers.

Digital and international prescribing

Many insurers now offer worldwide and digital health options, which are crucial for prescribers seeing patients online or outside the UK.

Types of insurance for medical cannabis prescribers

Medical indemnity insurance
- Medical indemnity insurance is the most critical type of insurance for prescribers, as it specifically covers healthcare professionals against medical malpractice claims related to patient care.
Professional liability insurance
- Professional liability insurance offers broader protection for errors or omissions in the delivery of professional services.
Business insurance
- Some prescribers running their own clinic or practice may also need business insurance to protect against additional risks associated with this, such as safeguarding premises and equipment.

How it works: your prescriber insurance checklist

Getting the right insurance as a medical cannabis prescriber can seem like a bit of a minefield, but it doesn’t need to be.

Speak to a specialist broker

Choose a broker that is familiar with the sector, such as PiB Insurance. Richard and the PiB team work closely with the Society, bringing extensive knowledge and experience in the unique considerations in this field of medicine.

Detail your scope of practice

This includes whether you prescribe remotely, internationally, or face-to-face.

Check for exclusions

It’s important to thoroughly review the policy details and be aware of any exclusions that could affect your protection. This includes which treatments and activities are included, as well as any territorial or financial limits.

Confirm limits and add-ons

Clinicians should ensure they have the right coverage and any necessary add-ons, such as worldwide cover, digital health, or run-off protection, if they plan to stop prescribing in the future.

Keep records and stay informed

Regulations and attitudes are evolving quickly in the medical cannabis sector, and clinicians should ensure they stay up to speed and keep careful records of their practice for future reference.

The role of PIB and MCCS

The Society works closely with PIB Insurance Brokers to arrange competitive, comprehensive policies for UK clinicians prescribing medical cannabis, because they understand the complex challenges clinicians face in this emerging field of medicine.

Richard has been working with the Society since 2021 and is passionate about supporting prescribers and helping patients access these treatments. Richard and the team not only work with individual prescribers, but clinics, importers, cultivators, manufacturers, distributors, management consultants, and tech providers in the sector.

PIB has developed tailored malpractice solutions that reflect the realities of prescribing cannabis medicines, offering doctors peace of mind with protection against both traditional liabilities and new, emerging risks.

To arrange a policy, please contact Richard Cupit, Head of Healthcare at PIB, on 07935 709160 or [email protected]. You can find out more about PIB Insurance Brokers on their website.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) has partnered with Cannabis Health Partners to bring the first educational event for healthcare professionals to the UK later this year in November.

The Cannabis Health Symposium, taking place at Conway Hall, London, on Tuesday 25 November 2025, will welcome some of the UK’s most experienced clinicians in cannabis-based medicines (CBPMs). The full-day programme brings together doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and healthcare professionals to explore the science, evidence, and practice of prescribing cannabis-based medicines safely and confidently.

A milestone for clinician education

Seven years on from the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK, around 160 specialist consultants are now prescribing CBPMs, mainly through private clinics. However, there are still no formal training requirements or established clinical frameworks for new prescribers — a gap the MCCS has worked to address through its Good Practice Guidelines, peer support network, and education programme.

At this year’s Symposium, the MCCS will lead a dedicated stream of educational sessions and workshops aimed at helping clinicians build confidence, develop their knowledge, and navigate the practical realities of prescribing in this evolving field.

Opening the day, Professor Mike Barnes, Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, will deliver a keynote presentation, Building Prescriber Confidence: Best Practice, Training and Governance, highlighting the need for clear standards and peer learning.

“Clinicians need to meet face-to-face to learn from each other, listen to experts and gain confidence in their practice,” said Professor Barnes. “Clinician education is vital in this sector where there is so much to learn and frankly so many prejudices to overcome. I know this will be a significant step forward for clinicians and thus eventually benefit many thousands of people with long term disabling conditions.”

Expert insights from the MCCS

Alongside other leading experts from across the sector, speakers from the MCCS Executive Committee, including Professor Mike Barnes, Dr Dani Gordon, Dr Rowan Thompson, Dr Niraj Singh, and Zul Mamon, will appear on the main stage throughout the day.

Together, they will provide a broad overview of key clinical and ethical themes, from governance and patient safety to the growing evidence base across specialities such as psychiatry, women’s health, neurology, and pharmacy practice.

Delegates will gain an understanding of:

The current state of medical cannabis prescribing in the UK

The principles of good clinical governance and peer review

The latest research and clinical experience in pain, psychiatry, and women’s health

The role of pharmacists in ensuring safe access and dispensing

Practical workshops for prescribers and clinicians

Running alongside the main stage sessions, the MCCS will host two interactive workshops designed to give attendees hands-on guidance in working as a prescriber or clinician in this space.

Workshop 1, 10:30am – How to Start Prescribing Medical Cannabis

This practical session will guide new and aspiring prescribers through the steps involved in setting up and practising as a cannabis clinician. Led by members of the MCCS expert committee, Dr Jennifer Forbes and Dr Rob Forbes, and joined by Richard Cupit from PIB Insurance Brokers, the session will initiating treatment, follow up and shared care, training, insurance and indemnity, and how the Society supports clinicians through membership and peer mentoring.

Workshop 2, 2:10pm – Medical Cannabis Prescribing & Dosing Guidelines

Presented by Dr Rowan Thompson, this session will offer an in-depth look at dosing and prescribing frameworks, titration principles, and formulation choice. Closely linked to the forthcoming MCCS Medical Cannabis Oils Dosing Guide, due for publication later this year, the workshop will introduce the key principles behind the new guidance and explain how it supports safe, evidence-based decision-making in practice.

Attendees will explore case-based examples and gain practical clarity on how to apply structured, evidence-informed dosing approaches in daily clinical settings, helping prescribers achieve consistent and patient-centred outcomes.

Raising standards through collaboration

The Cannabis Health Symposium aims to create an open and collaborative environment for healthcare professionals to engage, share knowledge, and learn from one another. Attendees will benefit from practical, evidence-based discussions and gain access to the latest educational tools and guidance from the MCCS.

For the Society, the event represents another important step in raising clinical standards, improving access, and supporting a growing community of clinicians across the UK.

MCCS Members can access free tickets via a unique code shared in the Member’s Hub, with all tickets available from www.cannabishealthsymposium.co.uk/tickets.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is proud to co-host the Cannabis Industry Awards 2025, alongside the Cannabis Industry Council and Drug Science.

Presented by headline sponsors Curaleaf Laboratories and EastCann, the awards celebrate the individuals driving progress in the UK’s cannabis sector.

The awards dinner takes place on Thursday 6 November 2025 at the Honourable Artillery Company, London. Guests will enjoy a three-course dinner, entertainment, the awards ceremony, and an after-party – bringing together 150 leaders from across the medical cannabis community.

Recognising Individual Achievements

The Cannabis Industry Awards are unique in focusing entirely on the individuals whose work has helped move the UK cannabis sector forward. Rather than spotlighting companies, these awards celebrate the people whose skill, leadership, and commitment have made a measurable difference to patients, peers, and the wider industry.

Each of the six award categories reflects the diverse ways people contribute to progress. From those working tirelessly behind the scenes to clinicians delivering exceptional patient care, advocates raising awareness, and researchers building the evidence base – the awards shine a light on all areas of achievement.

🏆 Unsung Hero Award – Headline Sponsor: Curaleaf Laboratories & EastCann
Recognising individuals whose dedication is often overlooked but whose impact is lasting.

🌿 Social Impact Award – Sponsored by Hilltop Leaf
Celebrating those making a tangible difference to patients, families, and communities.

🔬 Contribution to Science Award – Sponsored by Aurora
Honouring groundbreaking research and innovation that advances clinical understanding.

🌱 Green Award – Sponsored by Muzo
Recognising leadership in environmental sustainability and responsible practice within the cannabis field.

🩺 Clinician of the Year Award – Sponsored by British Cannabis
Celebrating healthcare professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, compassion, and excellence in clinical practice.

🤝 Customer Service Award – Sponsored by PIB Insurance Brokers
Acknowledging individuals who go above and beyond in their daily interactions with patients and customers.

Winners will be announced at the awards dinner.

How Mobile Basketball Betting Technology Has Evolved in Canada, According to Betlama

Canada’s regulated sports betting market has undergone a significant transformation since the federal government amended the Criminal Code through Bill C-218, which came into force on August 27, 2021. That legislative shift allowed provinces to authorize single-event sports wagering for the first time, dismantling a decades-old framework that had confined legal betting to parlay formats only. For basketball specifically, the timing proved fortuitous: the Toronto Raptors had already cultivated a national fanbase following their 2019 NBA championship, and demand for game-by-game wagering on NBA and Canadian university basketball was already well-established in the grey market. The mobile technology infrastructure that now supports regulated basketball betting in Canada did not appear overnight — it reflects roughly fifteen years of incremental development in hardware capability, regulatory architecture, and data integration.

From Desktop Portals to Native Mobile Applications

The earliest iteration of online basketball betting in Canada was entirely browser-based. Between approximately 2005 and 2012, provincially operated platforms such as those run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation offered rudimentary sports wagering through desktop websites. These platforms were constrained by the parlay-only rule, but they also reflected the technological limitations of the era: static odds refreshed infrequently, no live in-game markets, and interfaces that were not optimized for any screen smaller than a laptop. Users who attempted to access these sites on early smartphones encountered broken layouts and non-functional bet slips.

The shift toward dedicated mobile applications began around 2013 and 2014, driven largely by offshore operators serving Canadian bettors outside the regulated framework. These platforms — many licensed in Malta, Gibraltar, or Kahnawake — invested heavily in iOS and Android development because mobile traffic was growing faster than desktop traffic globally. By 2016, industry analysts at H2 Gambling Capital estimated that mobile devices accounted for roughly 45 percent of all online sports betting handle worldwide, a figure that would climb past 70 percent within five years. Canadian bettors using these offshore apps experienced features that the provincial monopolies could not yet offer: live betting markets updated in near real-time, push notifications for line movements, and biometric login through fingerprint sensors.

The provincial operators eventually responded. The BCLC launched a redesigned mobile application in 2018, and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation followed with incremental improvements to its PlaySports platform. However, the most consequential technological leap came after Ontario opened its iGaming market to private operators in April 2022 under the iGaming Ontario framework. Within months, internationally experienced operators brought fully mature mobile betting applications into a regulated Canadian environment for the first time. These apps incorporated features that had been refined over years in European and Australian markets: cash-out functionality, same-game parlays, streaming integrations, and personalized bet history dashboards.

Data Infrastructure and Real-Time Odds Delivery

Modern mobile basketball betting is fundamentally a data problem. An NBA game generates thousands of trackable events per minute — shot attempts, turnovers, foul calls, substitutions — and operators must translate that data into updated odds with minimal latency. The companies that supply this data feed infrastructure, most notably Sportradar and Genius Sports, have become critical intermediaries between the NBA itself and the betting operators that serve Canadian users. The NBA signed a formal data partnership with Genius Sports in 2021, which gave that company exclusive rights to distribute official league data for betting purposes in North America. This arrangement has direct implications for what Canadian bettors see on their screens: odds derived from official data feeds carry a certification that reduces the risk of manipulation and allows for faster settlement of player proposition bets.

Latency management is a technical challenge that most bettors never think about but that operators invest substantially to solve. When a three-pointer is made in a live NBA game, the broadcast signal reaching a viewer’s television may be delayed by six to twelve seconds due to encoding and distribution processes. If a bettor could place a wager on the next possession after seeing a made basket on their screen but before the odds engine processed the same event, operators would face systematic losses. To counter this, sportsbooks either suspend live markets during broadcast windows or use data feeds that are faster than the broadcast signal — typically sourced directly from arena tracking systems. The sophistication of this infrastructure is part of what distinguishes regulated platforms from earlier generations of mobile betting.

Betlama has documented several of these technical distinctions in its coverage of the Canadian market, noting that the gap between offshore and regulated app performance has narrowed considerably since Ontario’s market opened. Detailed comparisons of platform features, including live market depth and settlement speed for basketball props, can be found at http://www.betlama.com/basketball-betting-apps/, where the technical specifications of currently available applications are catalogued alongside regulatory status information. This kind of granular documentation is useful for understanding how different operators have implemented the same underlying data infrastructure in different ways.

Regulatory Frameworks and Their Effect on App Design

The regulatory environment in Canada is not uniform, and this fragmentation has directly shaped how mobile basketball betting applications are built and marketed. Ontario operates the most open framework through iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario), which as of early 2024 had registered more than forty active operators. British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, and Atlantic Canada continue to operate under provincial monopoly models, meaning that bettors in those provinces can only access betting through the provincially designated platform. Alberta has discussed liberalization but has not yet implemented a competitive licensing regime comparable to Ontario’s.

This patchwork structure forces operators to implement geolocation technology with considerable precision. A mobile application available to Ontario bettors must be able to determine whether a user is physically within the province’s borders, not merely registered there. Operators use a combination of GPS data, IP address verification, and device-based location services to make this determination. The same application, when accessed from a device in Vancouver, must either display a restricted version or redirect the user entirely. This is technically straightforward in concept but creates user experience challenges — particularly for travelers — that operators have addressed with varying degrees of elegance.

Responsible gambling features have also become a regulatory requirement rather than an optional design choice. The AGCO’s Standards for Internet Gaming, updated in 2022, mandate that licensed operators provide tools including deposit limits, session time reminders, self-exclusion options, and reality checks. These features must be accessible within the mobile application itself, not merely on a separate website page. From a design perspective, this means that basketball betting apps operating legally in Ontario must integrate these controls into their primary navigation in a way that is discoverable without being disruptive to the betting experience. The implementation varies across operators, and Betlama’s comparative analysis of Canadian platforms has noted that some applications bury these tools more deeply than others, raising questions about genuine compliance versus technical checkbox fulfillment.

Emerging Technologies and the Next Phase of Development

Several technology trends are already visible in Canadian basketball betting apps and are likely to become standard features over the next three to five years. Artificial intelligence-driven personalization is one of the most discussed. Operators with large user bases are beginning to use machine learning models to surface bet suggestions based on individual betting histories, preferred markets, and even time-of-day patterns. This is not a Canadian-specific innovation — it mirrors developments in the United Kingdom and Australia — but the Ontario market’s size and competitive intensity are accelerating its adoption locally. The practical effect for a basketball bettor might be an app that surfaces Raptors player props prominently during Toronto game windows without requiring the user to navigate through a generic sports menu.

Streaming integration is another area of active development. Several operators in Ontario have begun offering live video streams of NBA games directly within their betting applications, contingent on the user having an active account balance. This mirrors a model that has been standard in European markets for years and addresses a key engagement challenge: keeping bettors within the app environment rather than switching between a betting platform and a separate streaming service. The technical requirements for this — content licensing agreements, video delivery infrastructure, and synchronized odds display — represent a substantial investment that smaller operators cannot easily replicate.

Blockchain-based settlement and cryptocurrency payment integration have been discussed extensively in industry circles but have seen limited uptake in the regulated Canadian market specifically. The AGCO’s current framework does not prohibit cryptocurrency transactions, but the anti-money laundering obligations that apply to licensed operators create compliance complexities that have discouraged most from pursuing this avenue. It remains a feature more common among offshore platforms than among the iGaming Ontario registrants. Whether this changes will depend partly on how federal financial regulations evolve and partly on whether consumer demand becomes strong enough to justify the compliance investment.

The trajectory of mobile basketball betting technology in Canada reflects a broader pattern: regulatory clarity creates the conditions for serious technological investment, and competition among licensed operators drives feature development at a pace that monopoly structures cannot match. The period since August 2021 has compressed into a few years the kind of platform evolution that took a decade to unfold in more mature markets. Bettors in Ontario now have access to mobile applications whose technical sophistication is broadly comparable to what is available in New Jersey or the United Kingdom, even if the regulatory framework continues to evolve and the market outside Ontario remains constrained by provincial monopoly structures. The coming years will likely see continued convergence between entertainment and wagering technology, with basketball — given its pace, its statistical richness, and its Canadian cultural resonance — remaining one of the primary sports driving that integration.

The Judging Panel

This year, a formal judging panel will oversee shortlisting and selection. Judges include:
Dr Callie Seaman – 2024 Award Winner
Heidi Whitman – 2024 Award Winner
Dr Anne Schlag – Head of Research, Drug Science
Prof Mike Barnes – Chair, Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society
Sam Cannon – Co-Chair ESG Working Group, Cannabis Industry Council

Book Your Tickets

Join us in London for a night of recognition, inspiration, and celebration. Tickets are available now via Eventbrite: £125 + VAT per seat or £1,750 + VAT for a table of 10.

Book Your Tickets Now

Please note the dress code is smart (suits and dresses, not black tie). Vaping is not permitted inside the venue.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) is pleased to announce the publication of the updated edition of the Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products (CBPMs), an essential resource for clinicians working in this fast-evolving field.

Since CBPMs were legalised for prescription in the UK in November 2018, more than 75,000 patients have received treatment, supported by around 160 prescribers across 40 private clinics. Despite this growing demand, NHS prescribing remains extremely limited, and clinicians face a lack of consistent training, standards, and support.

In response, the Society has revised and expanded its flagship Good Practice Guide to offer a clearer, more detailed framework for safe, lawful and patient-centred prescribing. The updated guide is part of MCCS’s broader mission to raise standards across the sector and safeguard both patients and practitioners.

What’s inside?

This updated guide reflects the latest developments in clinical practice, prescribing patterns, and regulatory expectations. It includes detailed guidance on:

Eligibility and professional responsibility – Who can prescribe, when shared care is appropriate, and what constitutes good clinical oversight.
Peer approval processes – A formalised recommendation for multidisciplinary team reviews and shared documentation for new prescriptions and significant product changes.
Initial consultation standards – A comprehensive checklist supporting robust and defensible decision-making.
Prescribing plans and outcome tracking – Advice on titration, dosing principles, use of oil and flower, and setting outcome measures.
Ethical prescribing practices – Strong positions on avoiding inappropriate script direction, promoting transparency, and protecting patient choice.
Contraindications and clinical judgement – Clear advice on red flags alongside safe practice in younger or vulnerable patients.
The guide remains rooted in evidence-informed practice, drawing from the experience of prescribers actively working with patients today. It is designed to be both a reference document and a practical tool, supporting decision-making at every stage of the prescribing journey.

Who should use this guide?

While developed with specialist cannabis clinics in mind, the guide is relevant across all settings where CBMPs may be prescribed or supported. That includes:

Specialist consultants
GPs and independent prescribers
Pharmacists
Nurses and allied health professionals
Clinic managers responsible for clinical governance
Whether you are already prescribing or supporting patients receiving treatment, the guide is structured to help you meet your professional responsibilities with confidence and care.

Access the Guide

The Good Practice Guide for Prescribers of CBPMs is available now for all.

If you’re not yet a member, join today to access our growing library of practical tools, prescribing guidance, training, and peer support.

👉 Download the Good Practice Guide

👉 Find out more and join the Society

“Prescribing cannabis-based medicinal products requires careful clinical judgment, a strong understanding of the evidence, and a clear grasp of professional responsibilities. This guide provides the structure and support clinicians need to practise safely, lawfully and in the best interests of their patients.”
— Professor Mike Barnes, Chair, Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society

Building Prescriber Confidence: Best Practice, Training, and Governance | Professor Mike Barnes

NHS Integration – Bridging the Gap Between NHS and Private Providers | Dr Rob Forbes & Dr David Tang

How Mobile Technology Changed the Way Canadians Access This Site of Gaming

The Regulatory Landscape That Made Mobile Gaming Viable in Canada

How Smartphone Hardware Drove Behavioral Change Among Canadian Players

Platform Architecture and the Technical Infrastructure Behind the Shift

Responsible Gaming Tools and the Mobile Advantage

Exploring the Endocannabinoid System | Dr Rowan Thompson

The Role of the Pharmacist: Best Practice for Dispensing CBPMs | Zul Mamon

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs in Psychiatry & Neurodiversity | Dr Niraj Singh

Looking Forward: The Future of Cannabis Medicine in the UK | Dr Richard Hazlett

Exploring the Evidence Base: CBPMs for Pain Management | Professor Mike Barnes

Beyond the Benefits: Recognising Risks, Side-effects & Contraindications of CBPMs | Dr Jenny Forbes

Practicalities for Prescribing CBPMs in Women’s Health | Dr Dani Gordon

How to prescribe medical cannabis workshops

Why this handbook matters

A milestone for clinical practice

How the Challenge Cup Became a Betting Landmark, Explored by Betzella

A History That Created Betting Patterns

How Odds Compilers Approach the Competition

The Final as a Betting Event

Regulatory Context and Market Development

Part of a growing series

Buy Medical Cannabis Oils: Dosing and Guidance for Safe and Effective Treatment in Adults and Children.

Hear from the editors in our upcoming webinar

What you will learn

Who should attend?

Our cross-party recommendations

Establish a central fund for existing children with drug-resistant epilepsy

Create a national approval system for new child epilepsy patients

Commission new NICE guidelines

Ensure CQC awareness of the Good Practice Guidelines

Commission a proper and thorough health-economic analysis

Enable electronic prescribing of controlled drugs in the private sector

Ease export restrictions for medical cannabis products

Review the medical cannabis sector in full

Why it matters

How Betzoid Breaks Down Football Prediction Data and Statistics

The Foundation of Football Statistical Analysis

How Prediction Models Are Structured and Validated

Interpreting Key Metrics and Understanding Their Limitations

The Role of Real-Time Data and Injury Intelligence

Conclusion

Summary for policymakers and stakeholders

Download the full report

What you will learn

Who should attend?

How U SPORTS Football Betting Has Grown in Canada, per Betlama

The Legislative Turning Point: Bill C-218 and Its Aftermath

Why U SPORTS Football Became a Viable Betting Market

Bettor Behavior and Market Characteristics

The Road Ahead: Structural Challenges and Opportunities

Why insurance is so important for medical cannabis prescribers

Common misconceptions about medical cannabis insurance

It’s not automatically included

Digital and international prescribing

Types of insurance for medical cannabis prescribers

How it works: your prescriber insurance checklist

The role of PIB and MCCS

A milestone for clinician education

Expert insights from the MCCS

Practical workshops for prescribers and clinicians

Workshop 1, 10:30am – How to Start Prescribing Medical Cannabis

Workshop 2, 2:10pm – Medical Cannabis Prescribing & Dosing Guidelines

Raising standards through collaboration

Recognising Individual Achievements

How Mobile Basketball Betting Technology Has Evolved in Canada, According to Betlama

From Desktop Portals to Native Mobile Applications

Data Infrastructure and Real-Time Odds Delivery

Regulatory Frameworks and Their Effect on App Design

Emerging Technologies and the Next Phase of Development

The Judging Panel

Book Your Tickets

What’s inside?

Who should use this guide?

Access the Guide