Doctors in NSW can prescribe Marijuana from Aug 1

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on August 06, 2016.

Doctors of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia can now legally prescribe medical marijuana for their patients, as the amendments of the state’s Poisons and Therapeutic Goods regulation, 2016 comes into effect on August 1.

Medical marijuana were previously available to only patients, enrolled in clinical trials in NSW,  but Premier Mike Baird said that under the regulatory changes, the drugs could be prescribed for patients who have exhausted standard treatment options.

 “People who are seriously ill should be able to access these medicines if they are the most appropriate next step in their treatment,” Mr Baird said. “This change increases the options available for doctors as it means a broader range of marijuana medicines can be prescribed — while we continue our evidence-based research looking further into the role medicinal marijuana can play.”

Patients wishing to investigate the use of marijuana medicines will need to talk with their doctor about suitability. However, concerned doctors are required to get approval from both the ¬Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and NSW Health before they can prescribe an unregistered marijuana-based product. If approved, the prescription drug may be purchased and imported from overseas at patient's cost.

Medicinal marijuana could be taken orally, injected, smoked or used as oil. It has potential for treatment of arthritis, epilepsy, glaucoma, schizophrenia, sleep disorders etc. Under the new law, treatable conditions will also include multiple sclerosis, AIDS and for other chemotherapy-based therapies where standard pain management has failed.

Notably, New South Wales becomes the first Australian state to provide license to grow and cultivate marijuana for medicinal purposes.

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