It's not as though a doctor will readily prescribe medical cannabis to any patient who requests it. But you may be affected by a medical condition which can be improved by taking cannabis, and the eligibility requirements are in fact fairly broad. Remember that medical cannabis won't reverse your condition and is intended as a supplemental treatment as part of the overall management of your health. What's involved in obtaining medical cannabis?
Your Eligibility for Medical Cannabis
Eligibility for medical cannabis is determined by a number of factors. The precise nature of your medical condition is a key factor, as is your medical history and whether your doctor believes that cannabis will actually be beneficial. Your doctor may undertake a more detailed assessment of your circumstances and might recommend that you try another type of medication before prescribing medical cannabis. It can even be a requirement that you have in fact tried other types of medication to manage your condition before being eligible for medical cannabis. Medical cannabis doesn't have to be a last resort, but it will not be a first resort.
Prescribing Medical Cannabis
Because medical cannabis is not widely prescribed in Australia, the way in which a doctor provides it differs from other medications that have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is part of the Federal Department of Health. Access to medical cannabis (which has not yet been granted blanket approval by the TGA) is possible under a special access scheme utilised by your doctor. So while it's slightly more complicated for a doctor in agreement with your request to provide you with medical cannabis, it's not impossible.
Obtaining and Consuming Medical Cannabis
Sourcing the type of cannabis you require (with the strength and dosage determined by your doctor) can be difficult due to a lack of available stock. Your doctor may need to ensure that a local pharmacy is capable of filling the prescription before issuing it. And in case you were wondering, a prescription for medical cannabis is not an endorsement of smoking. Obviously, cannabis can be smoked, as is generally the case with recreational use. For medical use, cannabis is generally provided in pill form or as a mouth spray.
There are chronic medical conditions which may be improved with medical cannabis, and if you're interested in how it might be beneficial in managing your condition, you should discuss the matter with your doctor. Contact a doctor in your area to learn more.
