Taking your medical cannabis abroad
Going on holiday with a medical cannabis prescription means a little extra paperwork. This guide explains the UK rules in plain words. It also points you to our country by country list, so you can check your destination before you book.
At a glance
Step one
Before you book
Every country sets its own rules for bringing in medicine. The most important step is to check your destination before you book your trip.
You can check the rules in two ways. You can read the travel advice for that country on GOV.UK. You can also contact the country's embassy or high commission in the UK and ask them directly.
Some countries do not allow any cannabis at all, even with a prescription. Check the rules for every country on your trip, including any country where you change planes, not just the place where you land.
Check your stopovers. A country you only pass through still has its own rules. Make sure cannabis is allowed there before you book that route.
Step two
The UK rules
Leaving the UK
Cannabis is a controlled drug. That means the law keeps special rules for it. Ask your pharmacist or clinician to confirm that your medicine is a controlled drug, so you know which rules apply.
Carry your medicine on you, in your hand luggage, in its original pharmacy packaging. Take a copy of your prescription, and a letter from the person who prescribes your medicine.
The letter should list each medicine, the dose, the strength, and how often you take it. It should show your travel dates, and the prescriber's name and registration details. It must be clear that you are not carrying more than a 3 month supply.
Coming back to the UK
You can bring your own prescribed cannabis back into the UK, up to a 3 month supply, with your letter. If you need to bring more than a 3 month supply, you need a licence from the Home Office before you travel.
Up to a 3 month supply
You do not need a Home Office licence. Carry your prescription and your prescriber's letter. Keep your medicine in its original packaging in your hand luggage.
More than a 3 month supply
You need a free personal licence from the Home Office Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit. This also applies to trips longer than 3 months. Apply at least 10 days before you travel, and as early as you can.
A licence only helps at the UK border. It has no power in other countries. Each country still has its own rules, so you must check your destination as well.
Step three
Your before-you-travel checklist
Check your destination
Our country by country list shows the rules and the documents you need for popular places. Always confirm with the embassy before you book.
References
References follow the Harvard style. Always check the original source, as rules can change.
- GOV.UK (no date) Take medicine in or out of the UK. Available at: gov.uk/take-medicine-in-or-out-uk (Accessed: 28 June 2026).
- Home Office (2023) Travelling with medicine containing controlled drugs. GOV.UK. Available at: gov.uk/guidance/controlled-drugs-personal-licences (Accessed: 28 June 2026).
- National Travel Health Network and Centre (2026) Medicines and travel. TravelHealthPro. Available at: travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/43/medicines-and-travel (Accessed: 28 June 2026).
- PatientsCann UK (no date) Travel abroad with your cannabis prescription. Available at: patientscann.org.uk/travel (Accessed: 28 June 2026).
