Seriously ill Queenslanders will have faster access to medicinal cannabis under new laws which make the prescription process easier passed in Parliament tonight. Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles said the government had repealed the Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Act 2016 to introduce new legislation that makes it easier for patients and doctors to access medicinal cannabis.
Under the changes, medicinal cannabis will be treated the same as other drugs of addiction (schedule 8 medicines) or prescription drugs (schedule 4).
“This law change will significantly streamline the prescription process by removing state-level approval and will ensure patients have access to the treatment they need sooner.
“Now that the treatment has progressed, it makes sense for a nationally consistent approach and for the Therapeutic Goods Administration to take carriage of the prescription process.”
Mr Miles said that Australia’s domestic medicinal cannabis industry is in its infancy but, “I believe it has great potential.”
“There are several companies working towards having medicinal cannabis products produced locally in Queensland,” he said.
“I look forward to following their progress in taking their products to market. This will help improve access for people and reduce costs for these increasingly important medicines.”
Non-specialist medical practitioners will still require a state based approval for schedule 8 Medicinal cannabis.
The Federal Government will maintain strict controls on the use of unapproved therapeutic goods through the Commonwealth licensing and approval system. It will remain illegal for the Queensland public to grow cannabis for medical purposes.
COMMENTS
Thanks for the update. Good step in the right direction. Hope Qld will make it legal to grow medical cannabis soon. What a wonderful and sustainable income stream that could mean for our Hinterland IF we can make sure ‘certified boutique growing’ will be part of progressive legislation. We wouldn’t want this amazing income source provide for big pharmaceutical companies only. I truly believe it would be such a great opportunity for our rural areas.