CIC MasterClass – 23rd September in London

CIC MasterClasses are expert-led educational sessions designed to provide practical insight into the most critical areas shaping the cannabis and cannabinoid industries. Topics include (but are not limited to): regulation, compliance, investment, scientific research, communications, cultivation, and international markets.

This September CIC MasterClass iteration will explore the current state of cannabis regulation in the UK, exploring how policy, licensing, compliance requirements, and market access continue to shape the medical cannabis industry’s development. Attendees will gain insight into the regulatory challenges facing businesses, healthcare providers, and patients, while also considering potential reforms and future opportunities.

Grab your tickets on Eventbrite here!

Attendees can expect discussion and insight on:

• Medical Cannabis & Policing – Guidance, Challenges and Practical Realities: Medical cannabis is becoming more widely prescribed across the UK, but policing is still catching up. In this session, Richard List QPM will explore how police forces are navigating the realities of medical cannabis, the role of the Controlled Drugs Liaison Officer (CDLO), and the challenges officers face in verifying legitimate patients and applying the law consistently. Richard will discuss the first national police guidance on medical cannabis, authorised in October 2025, and provide an update on the development of its second edition. He will examine why a lack of knowledge across policing, combined with the absence of a centrally driven approach, continues to create inconsistencies in how patients are treated. Looking ahead, the session will explore how clearer guidance, greater education and stronger collaboration between policing and the medical cannabis sector can help improve understanding and deliver more consistent outcomes for patients and officers alike.
• International Cannabis Policy: The Global Landscape and What It Means for the UK: Domestic Cannabis policy and law does not develop in isolation. UN drug control treaties and institutions influencer how countries regulate cannabis. Steve Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst at Transform Drug Policy Foundation, will explore how international frameworks have evolved, what recent developments mean for governments, and how these global obligations translate into UK legislation. The session will also consider where opportunities exist for reform and what the future of cannabis regulation could look like in the UK and beyond.
• Quality, Compliance & Market Access: Maintaining Standards in the UK Medical Cannabis Supply Chain: This session will examine how quality assurance and regulatory compliance work together to protect patients and support the growth of the UK medical cannabis market. From GMP manufacturing and quality control to importation, distribution and pharmacovigilance, speakers will explore the standards businesses must meet and why they matter. The discussion will also look at how maintaining high-quality products and robust compliance processes can improve clinician confidence, strengthen patient trust and support wider adoption of medical cannabis in the UK.
• From Market Entry to Day-One Readiness: Building a CQC-Registered Medical Cannabis Clinic: This session will provide a strategic overview of the journey from an initial clinic concept to a CQC-registered and operationally ready medical-cannabis service. This session is particularly relevant to organisations already operating elsewhere in the cannabis supply chain, as well as international or adjacent healthcare businesses considering entry into the UK clinic market. The session will help attendees understand the principal decisions that prospective providers need to address, where organisations frequently underestimate the scope of the undertaking, and how weaknesses in one area can affect CQC registration, launch readiness and subsequent operation. CQC registration is an important gateway, but registration alone does not create an operational clinic. Successful market entry requires alignment between service design, regulatory strategy, clinic build, governance, implementation and the end-to-end patient journey so that the provider is genuinely ready to operate safely from day one.

Event details

• Date: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2026
• Time: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
• Location: Irwin Mitchell, London

This CIC MasterClass session is free for members and tickets for non-members are from £15, so please feel free to invite your colleagues who may be interested in getting involved and learning more about the CIC!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Unique sponsorship packages and speaking opportunities are available for this event and can be tailored to your objectives, both for this and future CIC gatherings. Sponsoring a CIC MasterClass is a great way to shape discussion topics, increase visibility, and get your company message in front of key industy stakeholders.

Interested in sponsoring?

Please contact Nicole Farah at nicole.farah@americanapr.com for more details. We look forward to welcoming you!