Little Green Pharma

Street cannabis and medicinal cannabis are very different, particularly in relation to quality control, potency and cannabinoid concentration.

Medicinal cannabis in Australia is highly regulated to ensure patient safety, consistency of product formulation and the absence of potentially dangerous contaminants such as pesticides and moulds.

Yes, Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is legally available via a doctor prescription. Please note that any CBD oil you can purchase online without a prescription is considered illegal.

The cost of medicinal cannabis in Australia can vary greatly and depends on a number of considerations such as a patient's condition and the product being prescribed.

The cannabinoid in cannabis which is well-known as being responsible for numerous psychoactive properties is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Not all medicinal cannabis products have THC or enough of this cannabinoid to make a patient feel ‘high’. There are alternative options for patients that don't want an intoxicating 'high' effect so patients have the option to talk to their medical practitioner about using strains which do not include THC.

As with all medical treatments, medicinal cannabis isn't for everyone. In Australia medicinal cannabis is not a first-line treatment for any condition. This means that doctors only use medicinal cannabis for people who have tried other medicines without success.

Medicinal cannabis is not safe for people who have a personal or family history of certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia

If You Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Typically, women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant will be advised by their doctor not use medicinal cannabis.

In addition, cannabis can pass into a woman’s breast milk at high concentrations.

Driving and Operating Machinery

People who use medicinal cannabis, especially with THC present can experience dizziness, fatigue and concentration problems as side effects. This makes it difficult to carry out skilled tasks and can impair judgement. People who need to drive or operate dangerous machinery should not take medicinal cannabis with THC.

Hypersensitivity

A small number of people are hypersensitive to cannabis or other ingredients in medicinal cannabis products. These people should avoid using medicinal cannabis as it can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Whilst approval has been given from 1st February 2021 by the TGA, it is expected to take much longer before low-dose Cannabidiol is available in pharmacies. This is due to suppliers having to manufacture low-dose products specifically for pharmacy sale. It could be years before low-dose Cannabidiol is available in pharmacies.

More information is available directly from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA): Over-the-counter access to low dose cannabidiol.

To find out more visit: https://www.littlegreenpharma.com/au/ 

Benefits will not be payable on low-dose Cannabidiol. As an over-the-counter product, HIF’s Fund Rules do not allow a benefit to be paid on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) items.

Doses over 150mg/day are still available through doctor prescriptions but are not available over the counter.