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Frequently asked questions on Schedule 3 cannabidiol:

What is medicinal cannabis?

Medicinal cannabis is any product (flower, oil, etc) that has been derived from the plant Cannabis Sativa.

What is in medicinal cannabis?

Extracts of medicinal cannabis usually contain many hundreds of different types of chemicals. The most important are the cannabinoids and the terpenes.

Which chemical in cannabis is responsible for the “high” effect?

The chemical responsible for the high of cannabis is called delta-9-cannabinol and it is commonly abbreviated as THC. Not all medicinal cannabis products contain THC.

How do I access medicinal cannabis in Australia?

Cannabis is available in Australia via a prescription from your health care provider (medical doctor and in some states a nurse practitioner).

Can any doctor prescribe cannabis?

Currently no. To do so, a doctor must either be an Authorised Prescriber OR apply to the Australian government for approval for you via the Special Access Scheme – B pathway.

Are there some types of cannabis that can be purchased without a prescription?

A medicinal cannabis product that meets Schedule 3 requirements can be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription. To meet the criteria of Schedule 3 they must be 98% cannabidiol (CBD) at a maximum dose of 150 mg per day. It can contain other cannabinoids to make up the other 2% of which no more than 1% can be THC.

Are there any schedule 3 – CBD medicines available in Australia?

Not yet. To be available they must be on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) which requires clinical trials data to demonstrate safety and efficacy. No manufacturer has yet been able to supply to data for their product to be in the ARTG as a Schedule 3 medicine.

AMCA is behind a new Veterans’ campaign to improve access, especially for those with PTSD not supported by DVA. 

Chair and long-time cannabis campaigner Lucy Haslam spearheaded an initial fact-finding discussion on Tuesday 13th April with support groups, doctors, veterans and legal experts. There was an enthusiastic attendance with more than 25 people on the call. 

This initiative will be a joint project with the Australian chapter of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians (SCCAC) to address the lack of access or funding for veterans. 

Lucy recently joined Cannabiz co-founder, Martin Lane and editor-at-large, Rhys Cohen in the Green Room to discuss the campaign for proper veteran access and plans for this year’s Australian Medicinal Cannabis Symposium (https://www.cannabiz.com.au/the-green-room-the-campaign-for-veteran-access).

The campaign to improve access for veterans-in-need kicked off on 22nd April with a Change.org petition that already has more than 10,000 signatures.

We'll continue to keep our members updated.

We contacted the Office of Medicinal Cannabis in the Victorian Department of Health when we heard it was planning to reimpose the need for state approval for S8 medicines from 29th March. 

Last year, the Victorian S8 permit requirements were suspended via a Covid-triggered Public Health Emergency Order #6. For the past 12 months, Victorian GPs have only needed TGA sign-off to prescribe cannabis. 

However, the streamlined process came to an end on March 28 when the emergency order expired. Since that date, all registered Victorian medical practitioners and nurse practitioners are required to apply for a Schedule 8 permit when prescribing a Schedule 8 medicinal cannabis product (i.e. a product containing >2% THC), noting existing exemptions for permit requirements when prescribing to some patients.  

The Victorian Schedule 8 permit system is currently under review and the department has recently surveyed prescribers (via KPMG) to gain an understanding of their views towards the Schedule 8 permit system. This survey closed on 14 March 2021 and will assist in determining whether there is a role for the S8 Permit System moving forward. However, the Office has advised AMCA that, unfortunately, it is not able to advise on the timeframe for when any decision will be made regarding S8 permits.