In 2014, New South Wales introduced The Terminal Illness Cannabis scheme [now known as the Medical Cannabis Compassionate Scheme], allowing for "registered persons with a terminal illness to be in possession of lawfully prescribed cannabis.

>> medicalcannabis.nsw.gov.au for laws & guidelines

In 2016, Victoria introduced the Medical Cannabis Act following an increase in media coverage surrounding the use of 'marijuana as medicine'. The amendment to the act 'enabled access to medicinal cannabis to defined groups of patients.' Parents of children with 'severe epilepsy [mostly Dravet's Syndrome]' drew strong media attention towards its use for seizures.

>> health.vic.gov.au for laws and guidelines

The Australian Federal Government has currently only amended the Narcotic Drugs Act of 1967, allowing for the cultivation of cannabis for 'medicinal or scientific purposes.' However, The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration [2017] rescheduled cannabis from schedule 9 [ a prohibited substance], to THC as a schedule 8 [a controlled drug], and CBD as a schedule 4 drug - 'not subject to the federal or state-based processes required for prescribing other cannabinoids.'

 
The requirements for medicinal cannabis in Victoria;

"This requires a specific form of medicinal cannabis to be specified for a particular indication in a particular individual, with a declaration that all other therapeutic endeavours have failed and that the use of cannabis has support from all the patients treating doctors."

 

 

 

Summarised by JATAKA™

Castle DJ, Strauss N, Norman A, Bonomo Y. Medical Marijuana:
The Australian Experience. Mo Med. 2019;116(4):270-273.

Image by The Green Fund

Read Article // https://bit.ly/31fbXY6