Doctors can now prescribe medical marijuana in Australia- but it will take up to 18 MONTHS for seriously ill patients to receive the drugs Patients in NSW can be legally prescribed medicinal cannabis by doctors New regulations under Therapeutic Goods Administration began Monday Seriously ill cancer and MS patients and epilepsy sufferers can apply Medical marijuana use has to be approved by state and federal authorities The supply of cannabis-based products will only come from overseas NSW also has a licence to grow and cultivate medical marijuana People battling cancer and epilepsy are among patients in New South Wales who are now able to have their doctor prescribe medicinal cannabis. Under new laws, which came into effect on Monday, a specialist can make an application through NSW Health to the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration to import unregistered cannabis-based products from overseas. There is no restriction on which patients can apply but NSW Health states that 'it is expected that prescribers will be specialists in the treatment of the condition'. But Australian Hemp Party secretary Andrew Kavasilas claims it could be '18 months plus' before anyone is legally treated with cannabis in the state. Patients in New South Wales can be legally prescribed medicinal cannabis by their doctors after new regulations came into effect on Monday Premier Mike Baird (pictured) said the regulatory changes means medicinal cannabis can now be prescribed for patients who have exhausted standard treatment options 'We are still relying on Federal approval after a specially trained group of doctors will already have looked at it in New South Wales, it's just not right,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'There are so many roadblocks - we are looking at 18 months plus, the bare minimum.' HOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRESCRIPTIONS NOW WORK IN NEW SOUTH WALES Seriously ill patients can legally be treated with cannabis-based products Specialists are able to apply on behalf of patients after all other treatments are attempted Request is then considered by a NSW Health panel of medical experts It is then passed onto Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration for consideration If approved the prescription drug may be purchased and imported from overseas at patient's cost Cannabis prescription drugs can come in capsule, oil or vapor form Costs of medicinal cannabis can be between $15-$20 a gram Local pharmaceutical scheme to dispense cannabis drugs not yet available Under the new laws treatable conditions will also include multiple sclerosis, AIDS and for other chemotherapy-based therapies where standard pain management has failed. The estimated cost for medicinal cannabis is $15-$20 a gram - and the prescription drugs can come in various forms including capsules, oil and vapor treatments. 'People who are seriously ill should be able to access these medicines if they are the most appropriate next step in their treatment,' NSW Premier Mike Baird said on Monday. 'This change increases the options available for doctors as it means a broader range of cannabis-based medicines can be prescribed - while we continue our evidence-based research looking further into the role medicinal cannabis can play.' New South Wales has also become the first state to be given a licence to grow and cultivate cannabis for medicinal purposes. While that law change brings local pharmaceutical supply one step closer, local legal production could still be several years off. 'This is an important step forward that underpins the potential pharmaceutical supply of cannabis-based medicines made in Australia,' Mr Blair added. 'We are the first state to be authorised by the Commonwealth to conduct cultivation research and this means we can now get on with the job. 'This cultivation research will build the additional evidence required to produce medicinal cannabis in NSW to guaranteed safety and quality standards.' Previously patients could only access cannabis-based medicines through clinical trials, but with the regulatory changes the drugs can now be prescribed for patients who've exhausted standard treatment options. Minister for Medical Research Pru Goward said that NSW was regulating cannabis-based medicines in the same way as any other emerging medicine. Prescribed cannabis-based treatments for serious illnesses including oil products - the Australian Hemp Party says the process of checks and balances will lead to long delays in access to the drugs from overseas It's hoped new NSW laws will prevent patients from turning to the black market to access cannabis-based medicine - the state has also been given the green light to begin the cultivation of marijuana for medical use Earlier this year, about 330 people in NSW took part in a clinical trial, testing medicinal cannabis for chemotherapy patients A medical marijuana patient in the US uses a Herbalizer to fill a bag with cannabinoid vapor - all cannabis prescription medication under the NSW law change will be sourced from overseas in the short term 'Patients wishing to investigate the use of cannabis-based medicines will need to talk with their doctor about suitability,' Ms Goward said. The authorisation under Commonwealth law ensures Australia continues to meet its international obligations under the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The cultivation research will be conducted in a new, state-of-the-art, high-security facility, under strict protocols. 'We have invested $21 million in a scientific approach to further our understanding about the safe and effective use of cannabis-based medicines so our patients in NSW have access to the best treatments possible,' Ms Goward added. 'Our end goal is that we will see proven, standardised and legal pharmaceutical cannabis products that can be trusted and prescribed by health professionals.' It's hoped the regulation will prevent patients from turning to the black market or breaking the law to access cannabis-based medicine. Earlier this year, about 330 people in NSW took part in a clinical trial, testing medicinal cannabis in tablet form for chemotherapy patients. The trial, which was announced in February, was the third of its kind in NSW - the other two were for terminally ill patients and children suffering from severe epilepsy. Mr Baird also undertook a study tour to Israel in April to developing partnerships in medical cannabis research. Source
