Jersey’s government has said it will bring in tighter rules for doctors who prescribe medical cannabis, following an inquest that found prescribed cannabis was the main cause of a man’s worsening mental health before his death. The plans were reported by Cannabis Health.

Health Minister Tom Binet told the outlet he would bring forward new legislation in early 2027. The island is a British Crown Dependency with its own government and laws, and it legalised medical cannabis in 2019.

What the inquest found

David Morgan, 66, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a fire at his flat in August 2025. A four-day inquest in Jersey heard that he showed psychotic symptoms in the weeks beforehand. The coroner concluded that these symptoms contributed to how the fire started and to his failure to escape it, and that their predominant cause was his use of prescribed, unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. His death was also contributed to by starvation.

Mr Morgan had a history of anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence. He began receiving prescriptions in 2024 after a telephone consultation with two clinicians and was never seen in person. In July 2025 his GP warned the cannabis clinic that continued prescribing was not in his best interests, but two further prescriptions of 20g of flower containing 30% THC were issued. Police contacted other services three times in the month before his death. The coroner described the lack of a check by the mental health crisis team as a “missed opportunity”.

The coroner called for urgent improvements in communication between GPs, mental health services and prescribers, and suggested the government consider temporarily pausing new prescriptions for conditions such as anxiety and depression. The government told Cannabis Health it lacks the legal power to impose a pause under current legislation. Cannabis Health said it had contacted Windsor Medical Practice, which did not respond.

What is being proposed

Mr Binet said the legislation would require doctors to review a patient’s medical records before prescribing, to meet patients face to face repeatedly during treatment or before changing a dose, and to record adverse reactions. Doctors would also need an on-island General Medical Council responsible officer. He said he would later develop proposals for a full licensing scheme for prescribers.

Government figures show cannabis was recorded as a factor in more than 20% of mental health ward admissions in 2025, with prescribed cannabis reported in around 6% of cases. Prescriptions rose by 35%, from 53,477 in 2024 to 72,065 in 2025. A government audit estimated that about 4,300 islanders, just over 4% of the population, were receiving medical cannabis by 2022.

Unlike in the UK, where unlicensed cannabis-based medicines can only be started by doctors on the specialist register, Jersey allows anyone authorised to prescribe medicines to do so.

Reaction

Jersey’s Primary Care Body, which represents island GPs, welcomed the safeguards. Dr Kirsty Ross, medical director of the Carpathia clinic, backed stricter rules but warned against “throwing the baby out with the bath water”.

Simon Harrison of End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey said the plans largely formalised existing guidance, but warned that regular in-person appointments could be hard for patients with limited mobility or low incomes. He cautioned against a “political knee-jerk” response. Patients who spoke to Cannabis Health gave mixed views, with some fearing loss of access to treatment.

The case follows a January inquest in England into the death of Oliver Robinson, 34, which also found prescribed cannabis contributed to his worsening mental state. His family has launched a campaign called Oliver’s Law calling for tighter safeguards. An inquest in 2024 reached a similar finding in the case of Rebecca Louise Vibert in Jersey.

Research has found an association between cannabis use and a higher risk of psychosis, especially with frequent use or high-THC products, but most people who use cannabis do not develop it. Much of the evidence comes from recreational use rather than medically supervised treatment.