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Laws to be strengthened for medicinal cannabis

Charlie Le NouryJersey
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The health minister plans to bring more legislation for politicians to vote in next year

Jersey's health minister has confirmed stronger legislation will be brought to politicians next year, after concerns about the prescription of medicinal cannabis were highlighted at an inquest.

David Morgan, 66, died in 2025 from breathing in smoke in his flat - the coroner ruled a prescription of medical cannabis contributed significantly to the deterioration of his behaviour and then to his death.

Health Minister Tom Binet said: "The findings of the inquest highlight important issues, and action must be taken to ensure robust oversight and control of unlicensed medicinal cannabis prescribing in Jersey."

Changes to the legislation are set to be brought to politicians in early 2027.

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Binet confirmed plans to update laws were already being worked on

The health department confirmed the proposed changes would include requiring a review of a patient's medical records before prescribing, requirements to repeatedly meet face-to-face with patients during treatment or before amending the prescribed dose, and required recording of adverse reactions.

Doctors in Jersey have been prescribing medical cannabis since 2018.

Latest data shows that 4,300 Jersey residents, more than 4% of the population are prescribed cannabis.

The number of prescriptions issued increased by 35% from 53,477 in 2024 to 72,065 in 2025.

Binet confirmed work was already underway to strengthen laws because of "existing concerns regarding oversight of medicinal cannabis prescribing in Jersey".

Dr Kirstie Ross, medical director of Carpathia Clinic, said: "We need to ensure there is good communication between the police, the psychiatrist, the general practitioners and other clinics need to be communicating between each other. We need to make sure the right patients are getting treatments.

"So absolute contraindications like bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia are not being prescribed [and] that we have regular follow ups from the doctors who are prescribing."

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Dr Kirstie Ross said she was "encouraged" to hear about planned changes to medical cannabis legislation

The coroner also recommended prescriptions be paused for some patients with mental health conditions until a review is complete.

'Loved enormously'

Morgan's family said the inquest marked "the end of a long and incredibly painful journey".

They said: "He was was a dad. He was a son, a brother, a friend and someone who was loved enormously by the people around him.

"For us, he will always be the man we knew and loved before the final weeks of his life."

The family also described how they were "frightened" for him as he was experiencing a "a serious deterioration in his mental health".

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