PATIENT SUPPORT
Travelling with your medication
A prescription should not stop you going away. It does mean a little planning, and one check you must never skip.
THE DOCUMENT
What a travel letter is
A travel letter is a signed letter from your clinic confirming that the medication you are carrying was lawfully prescribed to you. It names you, confirms you are under the care of a specialist doctor on the GMC Specialist Register, states that you have a valid prescription, and gives clinic contact details so anyone official can verify it.
It exists so that a border officer, an airline or a hotel does not have to take your word for it. Carried alongside your prescription and your pharmacy labelled packaging, it is the clearest evidence that what you have is a prescribed medicine.
Jorja provides travel letters and supporting documentation at no extra cost as part of your £9.99 per month membership. There is no separate document fee, and there is no limit on reasonable requests.
All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
TIMING
How much notice to give
Ask us as soon as your trip is booked, and ideally at least 10 working days before you travel. Most letters are prepared well inside that, but a longer trip, a larger quantity or a Home Office application takes longer, and doing it early costs you nothing.
Tell us your dates, your destination, whether you are travelling on more than one leg, and how much medication you will need to take with you. If your dose is being changed close to your travel date, say so, because the letter should describe what you are actually carrying.
INSIDE THE UK
Travelling within the UK
Travelling inside the UK is straightforward. Your prescription is lawful across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so there is nothing extra to apply for. Keep the medication in its original pharmacy labelled packaging, keep it with you rather than in a checked bag, and carry your prescription details.
On domestic flights and ferries, security staff occasionally ask about medication. A travel letter makes that conversation short. If you are staying with family or in shared accommodation, think about where you will store it safely while you are there.
ABROAD
Travelling outside the UK
This is the part that needs care. A UK prescription is a UK document, and it carries no weight in another country's law.
Every country sets its own rules on cannabis based medicines. Some permit them with documentation, some limit the quantity you may bring, some require an import permit arranged in advance, and some prohibit them outright with serious penalties. The rules can also differ between a country and its territories.
Because of that, you must check with the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to, and any country you transit through, before you book anything. Written confirmation from the embassy is worth having with you. Airlines and travel insurers may have their own requirements too, so ask them at the point of booking rather than at the airport.
For longer trips, or where you need to carry a larger quantity, the Home Office operates a personal licence process for taking controlled drugs in and out of the UK. Personal licences are generally needed above set quantity thresholds or for longer periods away, and they take time to process. We will tell you if we think your trip falls into that territory and support your application with the documentation you need.
Check before you book
Some countries treat cannabis as illegal in all forms, including prescribed medicine. Always check with the embassy of the country you are travelling to before you travel. A travel letter from Jorja does not override another country's law.
AT THE AIRPORT
How to carry it
Keep it obvious, keep it official, and keep it with you.
Before you travel checklist
Check the rules with the embassy of your destination, and of any country you transit through, before booking.
Request your travel letter from us at least 10 working days ahead, with your dates and destination.
Ask us early about a Home Office personal licence if your trip is long or the quantity is larger than usual.
Keep medication in its original pharmacy labelled packaging, never decanted into another container.
Carry it in your hand luggage, not in a checked bag, and keep it with you at all times.
Carry your prescription and your travel letter together, in print as well as on your phone.
Take only what you need for the trip, plus a small sensible margin for delays.
Tell your travel insurer about your prescription and check you are covered.
Store it out of sight and securely wherever you are staying.
All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES THIS
Travel letters, at no extra cost.
Documentation, reviews and support are all included in the £9.99 per month membership. All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
Check your eligibility