The family of Oliver Robinson, a 34-year-old who took his own life in November 2023, is calling for stricter controls on private cannabis clinics in the UK. An inquest in January found that his prescription for medicinal cannabis, issued by Curaleaf Clinic in May 2022, 'probably contributed to his death' and 'acted as an obstacle' to receiving proper psychiatric care. The coroner for Manchester North, Catherine McKenna, ruled this was the first such case.
Oliver's brother, Alexander Robinson, is launching a campaign for tighter regulation, including a ban on prescribing cannabis to patients with serious mental illness. He fears others could be harmed if changes are not made. 'If things do not change he is not going to be the last,' he said.
Medicinal cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018, but NHS prescriptions remain limited to a few licensed products for conditions such as severe epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Private clinics, however, prescribe unlicensed products widely. Data shows 659,293 unlicensed cannabis products were privately prescribed in 2024, more than double the 282,920 in 2023. Around 80,000 people are thought to hold private prescriptions.
Dr Pavan Chahl, an expert psychiatrist, told the inquest that under current guidance, medicinal cannabis should not be prescribed to those with a history of severe psychiatric disorder. 'Oliver Robinson should never have been prescribed medicinal cannabis,' he said. Alexander's proposed 'Oliver's law' includes mandatory consultation with NHS mental health teams, face-to-face assessments for complex cases, and tougher oversight by the Care Quality Commission.
Oliver had struggled with depression and addiction since his teens, and had been treated at the Priory. After leaving, he returned to cannabis use, finding relief initially but his family believes the prescription worsened his condition. The inquest concluded his cannabis prescription was an obstacle to appropriate care.
