Medicinal Marijuana QLD: Clinics, Treatment & Laws

The cannabis treatment in QLD is available for certain medical conditions and is prescribed by your health practitioner. Cannabis clinics are experts in the prescription process of cannabis that suits various illnesses and disorders.

Note: The information given on this page is not medical advice and should be taken in conjunction with medical professional advice. Individuals wanting medical advice on this issue should consult their local healthcare professionals.

Thousands of Australians in Queensland are now using Medicinal Cannabis to treat Epilepsy and treatment symptoms from chemotherapy.

What conditions can medical cannabis be used to treat?

A series of clinical trials to determine the efficacy of medicinal cannabis in the treatment of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, IBS, nausea resulting from chemotherapy and HIV/AIDS therapy, pain management and palliative care are underway in Australia. In the meantime, there is some medical evidence to suggest that medicinal cannabis may be suitable to treat:

• Severe muscle spasms and other symptoms of multiple sclerosis
• Severe seizures caused by epilepsy
• Severe nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy
• Severe nausea, vomiting or wasting due to HIV, AIDS or cancer
• Severe chronic pain
• Palliative care

How to access medical cannabis treatments in Queensland?

To the detriment of the patient, the steps involved in acquiring medicinal cannabis is a much more complicated process than it should be. If a doctor is prepared to place an application into Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) ‘Special Access Scheme’ you still may or may not be approved. Therefore the government must approve your application in order to be granted cannabis treatment. Just this year, 3,100 scripts had been approved by the TGA. Recently, that number has since risen closer to 9,000.

Steps to Accessing medicinal cannabis treatment

• Talk to your treating general practitioner (GP) about whether medicinal cannabis may be suitable as another treatment, that is used alongside the primary treatment for your symptoms.

• The patient will is required to give informed consent and sign they are aware of the effects of THC and the laws against operating heavy machinery if medical cannabis contains primarily THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) rather than CBD Cannabidiol.

• If your GP believes that cannabis will be an effective addition to your treatment, they can contact the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for approval to allow the supply of the product.

• The GP will also need to arrange for a pharmacy to dispense the medication to you within your local area.

Things to consider when taking medicinal cannabis

You cannot drive

Research has shown that cannabis use has an effect on a person’s ability to drive (Read More). Unlike alcohol, there is no specific concentration of cannabis that can be identified as an indicator of impairment. It is illegal for any patient being treated with medicinal cannabis containing THC to drive while undergoing treatment.

School-aged children

If a patient is at school, they can have the prescribed product administered at school in the same way as other medicines. Medicinal cannabis is not a “rescue” medication, and it would not be given in an emergency situation. Children usually receive doses of medical cannabis twice a day, therefore it’s unlikely to be required at school with a morning/evening schedule.