Member Spotlight: 4C Labs & Emerald Health Clinic
Over the past six years, 4C Labs has established itself as one of the UK’s leading medical cannabis companies, building expertise across cultivation, importation, manufacturing and distribution. Now, with the launch of Emerald Health Clinic, a CQC registered private medical clinic, the company is bringing that experience directly into patient care.
For James Smith, Co-Founder, Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member of 4C Labs, the decision to establish a clinic wasn’t simply about expanding the business. It was ultimately driven by a desire to address some of the challenges the team had observed across the UK’s growing medical cannabis sector. One of those challenges was ensuring patients had access to a broader range of treatment options.
Following his own recovery from hip replacement surgery in 2025, James found that, for his particular needs, a lower THC medical cannabis medicine was effective in managing his pain. His experience also prompted him to consider a broader trend within the industry, where higher-THC products have increasingly come to be associated with potency, and in turn perceived quality or efficacy, while other formulations, including lower-THC and balanced cannabinoid products, have received less attention. For James, he feels this risks narrowing the range of medicines available to patients and the options clinicians can consider when prescribing, particularly as patients report responding to a range of different formulations for their conditions, including lower THC and combination CBD/THC products, rather than only higher-THC options.
Opening Emerald Health Clinic has provided 4C Labs with the opportunity to participate more actively in conversations around patient care whilst helping expand access to a wider range of products and treatment options.
Looking Beyond Medical Cannabis
Whilst medical cannabis remains at the heart of Emerald Health Clinic, the clinic has been designed around a broader philosophy of healthcare. Rather than viewing cannabis as a standalone solution, and the only treatment on offer, Emerald Health Clinic aims to support patients through a more holistic approach, recognising that chronic pain, mobility, sleep, hormone health, weight management and mental wellbeing are often interconnected.
Alongside specialist medical cannabis consultations, the clinic also prescribes non-CBPM medicines where clinically appropriate, giving patients access to a broader range of treatment options based on their individual needs. This can include treatments such as HRT and GLP-1 medicines, alongside other established healthcare interventions. The aim is to ensure clinicians can consider the full picture of a patient’s health and identify the most appropriate solutions available, rather than focusing on a single condition, medicine or treatment pathway.
The clinic has also been built with accessibility in mind. Patients can expect a streamlined booking process, rapid access to specialist consultations, straightforward repeat prescribing and support from a multidisciplinary team that includes specialists in neurology, psychiatry, oncology, pain management and women’s health. To ensure the clinic’s broader approach to healthcare is underpinned by rigorous clinical standards, Emerald Health Clinic has established a dedicated Medical Governance Board, chaired by Professor Mike Barnes. As a leading figure in the UK medical cannabis sector and one of the clinicians involved in establishing the UK’s medical cannabis framework, Professor Barnes brings extensive experience in cannabinoid medicine, clinical governance and patient care.
Putting Patients at the Centre – At No Cost
Several features distinguish Emerald Health Clinic from a traditional medical cannabis clinic in the UK. The clinic shares that all consultations are free as the team believes that cost should not be a barrier to accessing appropriate clinical assessment. has established dedicated programmes to support women’s health and military veterans, recognising that different patient groups often require specialist care and lived experience. It also has invested heavily into clinician education, with prescribing doctors receiving product-specific training informed by structured assessments carried out by 4C Labs’ Canadian research team.
The aim is to ensure prescribing decisions are supported not only by clinical expertise, but by detailed knowledge of the treatments available to patients, whether those are CBPMs or otherwise.
Building the Evidence Base
For 4C Labs, Emerald Health Clinic forms an important part of the company’s long term ambition to develop clinically validated CBPMs.
Collecting high-quality real world patient data – always with the approval of the patient first and foremost – will help support further research programmes, including potential studies into full-spectrum cannabis medicines for ADHD and treatments that could help reduce opioid reliance. Whilst these ambitions remain long term, the clinic provides an important foundation for generating the evidence the market needs to support future innovation.
Supporting the Industry Through the CIC
4C Labs has been a member of the Cannabis Industry Council since its earliest days and has played an active role in helping shape the organisation. Over the years, the company has contributed to several of the CIC’s committees, working groups and pillars as they have evolved, providing technical expertise whilst supporting the CIC’s work to improve communications between industry and regulators.
James believes organisations like the CIC are essential for any regulated sector, providing a credible collective voice whilst helping policymakers better understand the realities of the industry. Beyond policy work, he also highlights the importance of bringing members together to share knowledge, exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration across the sector through carefully curated events.
Looking Towards the Future
Many people are still unaware that medical cannabis is legally available in the UK, whilst longstanding misconceptions continue to shape narratives. Improving education, supporting evidence-based research and conversations, and expanding access to regulated care will all play an important role in helping the sector mature.
As 4C Labs continues to invest in research, innovation and patient care through Emerald Health Clinic, the company remains focused on helping build a more accessible, evidence-led future for medical cannabis in the UK.
James Smith
Co-Founder, Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member of 4C Labs
