A lot of people in Australia have been interested in using cannabis for medical reasons over the past few years. The Australian government made it legal to get medical cannabis in 2016. Although Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates the supply of medicinal cannabis, most of them are still unregistered drugs.
With that said, you will still need approval from your doctors to receive a proper prescription for this product. Since the process of accessing this medicinal plant can still be daunting for most, this article will help you understand the basics of its legalities.
What is medical cannabis?
Medicinal cannabis is any cannabis product that a doctor prescribes to help with the symptoms of a medical illness. So, it would be best if you had a prescription to get medical cannabis, but you can get recreational weed or those only used by adults, even without one.
When your doctor tells you to use medical marijuana, it may have one or more active ingredients and come in several different forms. The active chemicals will depend on the illness or illnesses being treated.
Active Ingredients of Medical Cannabis
Cannabinoids are the active ingredients in weed that make it medically useful. The plant has hundreds of different cannabinoids, but CBD and THC are the most well-known and are mostly responsible for medical use. Cannabinoids are different, even though they both have medical uses, and some of those uses are the same.
CBD (Cannabidiol)
Cannabidiol is a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants that does not get you high. It also has medical uses and has been shown to lessen the “high” feeling that THC gives you.
THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol)
The ingredient in cannabis that makes you feel high is called THC, but it is also responsible for other medical benefits.
Researchers are still trying to find out if THC and CBD work better together as a medicine.
Can you use medical cannabis in Australia?
Things are changing with cannabis in Australia and around the world. Australians may feel like they are far behind their American friends in the cannabis business. Still, medical cannabis is legal in the land down under, and the market is busy and growing quickly.
There are some very good reasons why Australia has such strict laws about cannabis. The fact that it means the weed has been tested, is of high quality and is as safe as cannabis gets is one of the best things about it.
As mentioned, most medical cannabis products are drugs that haven’t been approved. So, they haven’t been checked out by the government in the same way that other legal drugs have.
Because of this, your doctor needs permission from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to give these medicines. One way to do this is through the Authorized Prescriber or Special Access Scheme-B.
Australia has approved the use of some medical cannabis products, such as nabiximols and synthetic cannabinoids. But every country or state has its own set of rules. This regulation could make it harder for you to get medical cannabis in some parts of the world.
How Can You Get Medicinal Cannabis?
Now, the question lies: How to get medical cannabis in Australia? You can legally get medical cannabis from your doctor, a medical specialist, or by taking part in a clinical study.
The first thing you should do is talk to your doctor about medical marijuana. Your doctor will tell you if medical cannabis will help you and, if it does, which product to give you.
Also, your doctor must complete paperwork to get the government approvals they need. Then, they will write you a prescription once it’s okay.
If you need medical cannabis, you can take this order to any pharmacy and get it. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) does not pay for medical marijuana. Medicine weed can cost anywhere from $50 to $1,000 a week, depending on your sickness, the medicine, and the dosage.
Medical Cannabis Sources You Should Avoid
If you are seeking the health benefits of medical cannabis, don’t buy marijuana goods from other countries or smoke marijuana on the street since this is not allowed. The amount and what’s in the product are also out of your hands.
Cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens can get into your lungs when you smoke weed. At least 50 of the carcinogens found in tobacco are also found in smoked cannabis.Learn more on Wikipedia
Use Medical Cannabis Safely and Legally
As a scheduled drug, medical cannabis is closely monitored. Usually, more study must be done before it can be used for therapeutic purposes. And though medical cannabis is legal in Australia, you can only get it from your doctor or a specialist.
Should you decide to use cannabis as medicine, you should talk to your doctor to make sure that medical cannabis is right for you.
