The THC rush: How high-potency flower is driving the UK's medicinal cannabis market

The global medical cannabis market has seen a surge in demand for high-THC flowers, and the UK market is following suit. A report Recent research from Cannamonitor shows that by 2023, 79% of all prescriptions in the UK were flower, with 93% of those being THC-dominant strains. As more patients – especially younger men – seek out high-potency options, the market appears to be moving away from its therapeutic roots towards a quasi-recreational nature. This raises questions about appeal across demographics, potential regulatory scrutiny and the trajectory of product diversity in the UK.

Since legalisation in 2018, the UK’s medical cannabis market has expanded rapidly, with the volume of products prescribed more than doubling each year. From just 278 items in 2019, this number rose to 43.933 in 2021 and reached 124.241 in 2022. Projections for 2023 suggest that over 350.000 items have been prescribed to patients and Cannamonitor predicts the market will double again by the end of 2024. If these trends continue, the UK could supply over 1 million items of medical cannabis by 2025, positioning it as one of the largest demand markets in Europe.

However, demand is largely confined to private prescriptions as the NHS remains cautious and prescription numbers remain low. Private clinics have stepped in to fill this gap, expanding access through low-cost prescriptions and a growing range of access schemes and alternatives, ultimately improving affordability and driving market growth.

A market defined by high-THC flowers, despite the diversity of products
The medical cannabis supply may be expanding, with around 200 SKUs available to patients last year, but it is clearly dominated by high-THC flower. While all flower segments grew in absolute terms, all of the relative growth in 2023 came from products exceeding 23% THC. In particular, products with over 24% THC jumped from just 3% of the market in 2022 to 22% in 2023, largely at the expense of the 15-19% segment.

The popularity of flower underscores the advantages of inhaled products, offering a faster onset of action compared to oral products, a priority for patients with immediate symptom management needs, but also for patients with a prior history of use, who bring with them preferences and expectations shaped by the recreational market.

Oils, which accounted for 20% of prescriptions in 2023, provide an alternative for patients seeking non-inhaled treatments, especially those who require higher concentrations of CBD, such as patients with childhood epilepsy. Newer options such as vape cartridges and tablets, despite their potential, have yet to capture significant market share, holding just 1% in 2023. As patients become more familiar with these alternative formats, they could become valuable segments in their own right – but for now, flower is king.

Increasingly competitive supply

Several European and Commonwealth countries are competing to supply the UK market. Unlike most demand markets such as Germany and Australia, where Canadian products dominate supply, approximately 75% of prescribed cannabis products in the UK come from European countries such as Portugal, Spain, North Macedonia and Denmark. Furthermore, UK-grown products became available for the first time in 2024.

However, Canadian products are rapidly gaining ground, largely due to their higher THC content. The market share of Canadian products doubled between 2022 and 2023; and in 2023, 56% of UK products exceeding 24% THC were sourced from Canada, highlighting the appeal of Canadian cannabis to satisfy a potency-oriented market, similar to its legal recreational market.

As demand continues to shift towards high-THC strains, Canadian imports could capture even more market share, creating a competitive landscape between established European suppliers and Canadian newcomers. In 2024, however, European producers from countries such as Portugal and North Macedonia have stepped up their efforts in the higher-potency segments, introducing multiple ultra-potent cultivars that have attracted significant attention.

Of the 100+ prescribed flower strains in the UK, the top 10 account for 60% of the market, with popular indica-leaning hybrids such as GG#4 and GSC driving demand. This concentration raises questions about the future diversity of the market, especially as brands increasingly focus on a narrow range of ultra-potent options to remain competitive.

While contributing to the rapid growth of the market and meeting specific patient needs, the “rush to THC” risks losing the medical focus of the market, emphasizing immediate intoxicating effects over therapeutic benefits. This trend reflects the broader global cannabis market, particularly in North America, where potency-focused products dominate.

Economic incentives play a major role in this trend: products with high THC content command higher prices premium throughout the supply chain, increasing competitive pressures to meet this demand. Innovations in genetic selection, cultivation techniques and post-harvest methods are helping to increase potency levels, but the sustainability of this trend is in doubt with some products already exceeding 30% THC.

The way forward: could product differentiation be the next frontier?

There are concerns that persistent THC inflation could limit patient choice and overshadow the therapeutic diversity that medical cannabis was originally designed to offer. The market could eventually shift to a focus on terpene profiles and unique strains that offer more than just high potency: however, this would likely require changes in both patient preferences and interest in prescribing.

In a mature market, balancing power with more comprehensive product development will likely be a key success factor for brands to remain competitive. Furthermore, there is growing concern that a THC-centric market could attract regulatory scrutiny. Regulators may consider imposing stricter regulations, such as standardised packaging, new marketing restrictions, or even potency limits, especially if the increasingly recreational nature of the market continues to emerge.

In North America, the race for potency has sometimes overshadowed considerations of quality, with lab-buying scandals, and the UK could face similar challenges. While Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards are in place to maintain product quality, an excessive focus on THC content can distract from other critical factors in patient care.

Educating patients and prescribers about factors such as terpene profiles, taste and aroma could foster a more nuanced appreciation of cannabis varieties, moving away from a singular focus on THC content. For suppliers, this presents an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by offering innovative and well-differentiated products, whether through unique strains, optimised terpene content or new delivery formats. As the market evolves, THC inflation may give way to a more balanced approach where quality, diversity and potency coexist.

In this evolving landscape, companies that balance power with overall quality, innovation and patient-centric options are likely to thrive. The future of the UK cannabis market and the global cannabis market in general may eventually reflect this balance, with more diverse and complete products that meet the broader needs of patients and the changing demands of the industry.
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This analysis was originally published by Arnau Valdovinos on Cannamonitor and edited for CannaReporter®, with translation and revisions by Laura Ramos. The information shared is based on Cannamonitor’s latest report, which provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving trends in the UK medicinal cannabis market using prescription data provided by the NHS BSA.

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Arnau Valdovinos

Contributor |  More postsBiography

As founder and principal consultant at Cannamonitor, Arnau connects the dots of the global cannabis supply chain through an independent view of the international market. An advocate for evidence-based drug policy reform, Arnau has since 2018 provided intelligence and practical advice to medicinal, recreational and CBD companies across 5 continents and 19 countries.

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