Oliver Robinson Death: Medical Cannabis Prescription

Published: 7 April 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online—Investigating the human cost of a burgeoning private medical industry.

An inquest into the death of Oliver “Oli” Robinson, a 34-year-old former property developer from Bury, has sent shockwaves through the UK medical community. Oliver took his own life in November 2023 after a harrowing spiral into what his family describes as an all-consuming addiction to medical cannabis. In a landmark ruling issued in early 2026, a coroner found that his prescription for medicinal cannabis “probably contributed” to his death—marking the first time the drug has been officially linked to a suicide in the UK.

Oliver was a talented artist and successful professional who had struggled with depression and anxiety for several years. After exhausting conventional therapies, he saw an advertisement for medicinal cannabis and believed he had found a “miracle” cure.

The Prescription: In April 2022, Oliver was accepted into a research study run by the private Curaleaf Clinic. Despite his history of complex mental health issues and previous “addictive tendencies,” he was prescribed high-strength cannabis products with up to 27% THC.
The Transformation: His brother, Alexander, told the BBC that the drug changed Oliver from a “loving and generous” man into someone “angry, violent, and aggressive.” Alexander noted that because it was branded as “medicine,” Oliver used the prescription to justify his use, dismissing any concerns from his family as “attacks” on his health.
The Financial Ruin: The cost of the habit was staggering. Oliver was reportedly spending up to £1,000 a month on his prescriptions. To fund it, he lost his job, took out payday loans, and was eventually evicted from his home, at one point even living in a tent.

Catherine McKenna, the coroner for Manchester North, highlighted a series of systemic failings in Oliver’s care during the inquest at Rochdale Coroners’ Court.

Incomplete Records: The clinic’s decision to prescribe was based on an out-of-date GP summary and incomplete information about Oliver’s psychiatric history.
Lack of Expertise: The psychiatrist who reviewed Oliver specialized in child and adolescent care, lacking the experience required to manage a complex adult patient with “treatment-resistant depression.”
An “Obstacle” to Care: The coroner ruled that the continued issuance of cannabis acted as a barrier, preventing Oliver from seeking the acute psychiatric and addiction support he desperately needed.

Alexander Robinson has since launched a campaign for tighter regulations on private cannabis clinics, which have seen a surge in prescriptions since the drug was legalized for medicinal use in 2018. “If the current regulations are what allowed my brother to die, then it’s the current regulations that need to change,” Alexander said.

His family believes that the profit-driven nature of private clinics creates a “loophole” where vulnerable patients are given access to high-potency drugs without the rigorous safeguards of the NHS. For the Robinson family, the “gift of the gab” and the “kindness” of the brother they knew are gone, replaced by a legacy of “utter hell and torment” that they hope no other family will have to endure.

Case Summary: Oliver Robinson (1989–2023)

Detail	Status / Finding
Age at Death	34
Prescribing Clinic	Curaleaf Clinic (Private)
Official Cause of Death	Misadventure (Inquest ruled Feb 2026)
Key Factor	“Physical and psychosocial dependence” on cannabis
Cost of Prescription	Up to £1,000 per month
Diagnosis	Depressive disorder & Cannabinoid dependency