How Jersey became cannabis island: One in 25 Islanders are using the drug after law change allowing its prescription for medical reasons. Now, FRED KELLY explores resulting mental health crisis that’s already claimed life of one man
A Jersey inquest concluded that prescribed cannabis was the predominant cause of David Morgan’s psychosis, which contributed to his failure to escape a fatal flat fire in August 2025. The case has raised questions about how medicinal cannabis is prescribed and whether safeguards are adequate for people with mental health or addiction histories.
Morgan, 66, had received cannabis for anxiety for about a year, with his prescription doubled in the months before his death; the clinic reportedly did not meet him in person. His GP warned the prescribing clinic that cannabis was not in his best interests, citing his history and worsening behaviour, but the warning was ignored, and a referral to drug and alcohol support was declined. The article says Jersey’s rules allow a wider range of practitioners to prescribe cannabis than in the UK, where prescribing is restricted to consultant doctors.
- A Jersey inquest linked prescribed cannabis to David Morgan’s psychosis.
- His GP’s warning to the prescribing clinic was ignored.
- The case raises questions about Jersey’s prescribing safeguards.
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Jersey, a self-governing island in the Channel Islands, changed its rules to allow cannabis to be prescribed for medical reasons. Private clinics can provide prescriptions, and the rules permit a wider range of practitioners to prescribe than in the UK, where this is generally restricted to specialist doctors.
Medicinal cannabis is used to treat some health conditions, but it can also affect people’s mental health. The case has brought attention to how clinics assess patients, monitor treatment and respond to concerns from GPs, particularly when someone has a history of mental health problems or addiction.
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The case for
Medicinal cannabis can offer relief to patients whose symptoms have not responded to other treatments, and access through prescriptions may allow treatment to be monitored. The case points to possible failures in prescribing practice and safeguards, which could be addressed without removing access for patients who benefit from it.
The case against
Cannabis may carry serious mental health risks for some people, particularly those with relevant histories, so prescribing requires careful assessment and follow-up. In Morgan’s case, the reported dose increase, lack of an in-person meeting and ignored warnings raise concerns that Jersey’s rules and safeguards did not adequately protect vulnerable patients.