Student essay competition: medical cannabis and the NHS
February 10, 2026 | IN NEWS | BY MCCS
The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is inviting students to enter a national essay competition exploring one of the most pressing and misunderstood issues in UK healthcare: why access to medical cannabis through the NHS remains so limited, and what wider NHS prescribing could mean in practice.
Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK under prescription since 2018. Yet only a very small number of patients have received NHS prescriptions, with the vast majority accessing treatment privately. This disconnect between legal status and NHS practice raises serious clinical, regulatory, ethical and economic questions. We want students to interrogate those issues and bring fresh, critical thinking to a debate that is far from settled.
The essay question is;
“The prescribing of medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018. Despite this, only a very small number of patients have received prescriptions for medical cannabis through the NHS. What are some of the challenges to medical cannabis being prescribed on the NHS, and what could be the benefits and drawbacks to having cannabis-based medical products readily available for NHS prescriptions?”
You are not expected to have specialist knowledge of cannabinoid pharmacology or the endocannabinoid system. What matters most is your ability to think critically, weigh evidence, recognise trade-offs, and communicate clearly.
Why enter?
This competition is an opportunity to:
- Engage with a real-world clinical and policy issue that patients, clinicians and policymakers are grappling with now
- Develop and showcase your academic writing and analytical skills
- Have your work reviewed by senior clinicians actively involved in medical cannabis education, prescribing and policy
- Gain national recognition for thoughtful, evidence-led work
Whether you are interested in clinical practice, health policy, ethics, research or wider healthcare systems, this is a chance to contribute meaningfully to an important conversation.
Who can enter
The competition is open to currently enrolled students. Essays will be judged relative to your level of study.
We welcome submissions from students in:
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Nursing and allied health professions
- Biomedical and life sciences
- Health policy, ethics, law and related disciplines
Proof of student status may be requested.
What we are looking for
Essays must be your own original work. The use of AI tools, collaboration with others, or submission of previously assessed coursework is not permitted. Any breach will result in disqualification from this and future MCCS essay competitions.
Essays will be assessed on:
- Strength of critical analysis
- Clarity and quality of writing
- Structure, spelling and grammar
- Accurate and appropriate referencing
We are particularly interested in essays that engage with real-world constraints and tensions, such as NHS commissioning, evidence thresholds, clinician confidence, patient safety, stigma, cost, and health inequality, alongside potential clinical and system-wide benefits.
Submissions must be received by Friday 22 May 2026 at 11.59pm (GMT). Essays will be reviewed and winners announced on Friday 26 June 2026.
Prizes and recognition
First prize includes an exclusive From Plant to Prescription educational visit to an EU GMP-licensed facility, offering practical insight into how pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis is produced and regulated. The winning essay will be published as a primary feature on the MCCS website, accompanied by an interview, and the winner will receive a free place on Medical Cannabis Explained: Become a Confident Prescriber, hosted by Professor Mike Barnes, alongside a free first-year MCCS student membership and a certificate of achievement.
Second and third prize winners will also receive a free place on Medical Cannabis Explained: Become a Confident Prescriber, hosted by Professor Mike Barnes, a free first-year MCCS student membership, and a certificate of achievement. The second prize essay will be published as a secondary feature on the MCCS website.
Judging panel
Essays will be reviewed by an MCCS-appointed panel, including:
- Professor Mike Barnes – Chair, MCCS
- Dr Rowan Thompson – Vice Chair, MCCS
- Zul Mamon – Executive Committee Member
- Matty Rawding – Executive Committee Member
Entries will be judged relative to level of study. The judges’ decision is final.
How to submit your essay
Email your essay as a PDF to [email protected]. By submitting an entry, you confirm that you have read and agree to the rules set out here. With your submission, you must include the Essay Cover Sheet (Word Doc download).
Key dates
- Submission deadline: Friday 22 May 2026 at 11.59pm (GMT)
- Winners announced: Friday 26 June 2026
Please include:
- First name and last name
- University
- Course and year of study
- Email address
- Word count (max 2000)
- Signature and date
Ready to take part?
If you want to test your thinking, build your academic profile, and contribute to an evidence-led debate that matters to patients and clinicians alike, we encourage you to enter.
Submissions are now open.