Seven ACT doctors can prescribe medicinal cannabis

There have been 49 prescriptions of medicinal cannabis in the ACT since it was approved for use in November 2016.

ACT Health says it has approved seven doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis for a total of 28 patients.

There have been three occasions - all for patients with chronic pain - where medicinal cannabis was approved for a condition not listed in the ACT Controlled Medicines Prescribing Standards.

The ACT Greens say it's too hard for patients in the ACT to access medicinal cannabis. They previously called on the government to extend the proposed laws allowing small amounts of cannabis for personal use.

They want people who use cannabis medicinally to be allowed to possess a larger quantity legally.

ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said the layers of approval through both ACT Health and the Therapeutic Goods Administration meant many patients simply gave up trying to access it.

In answers to questions on notice, ACT Health said the majority of all applications received by the department were processed in two business days.

"ACT Health has not been contacted by any members of the public that have been unsuccessful in seeking approval to prescribe medicinal cannabis under the ACT Medicinal Cannabis Scheme," the answers said.

"No applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis that have been received by ACT Health have been refused." Originally published here: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6209323/seven-act-doctors-can-prescribe-cannabis/