Frequently asked questions about cannabis medicines

​Find answers to common questions about prescribing, dispensing, and the use of medicinal cannabis in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø​â¶Ä‹. â€‹

On this page

  1. Prescribers
  2. Pharmacists
  3. Compounding of cannabis medicines
  4. General

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  • Refer to Clinical guidance for cannabis medicine prescribers and Access and approvals for cannabis medicines for guidance.​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹

    As with any prescribing, the legal obligations and the responsibility for the treatment of the patient lies with the prescribing practitioner. Most cannabis medicines are not registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), which means they have not been evaluated to ensure they meet strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. For this reason, it is expected that prescribers will have considered all clinically appropriate treatment options that are included in the ARTG before applying to access an unregistered cannabis medicine.

    ​For further information please visit the TGA M​â¶Ä‹â€‹edicinal cannabis hub​â¶Ä‹â€‹. 

  • ​A ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø approval is required when prescribing or supplying a Schedule 8 cannabis medicine:

    • ​â¶Ä‹to a drug dependent perso​n â€‹
    • that is compounded (note: only medical practitioners can be authorised to prescribe compounded Schedule 8 medicines) 
    • for use in a clinical trial (if the medicine is unregistered).

    An approval from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health is not needed to prescribe a Schedule 4 cannabis medicine.​

    More information is available at ​ Access and approvals for cannabis medicines and Application forms for approval to prescribe or supply.​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹

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​ Pharmacists

  • ​Clinical advice on cannabis medicines to support general practitioners, community pharmacists and rural health practitioners is available from the John Hunter Hospital Pharmacy Department.  The service provides expert advice on:​

    • understanding the latest evidence around cannabis medicines
    • understanding the regulatory requirements for cannabis prescription
    • considering tools to monitor a patient’s progress whilst using cannabis medicines
    • provision of protocols to facilitate cannabis medicine prescribing.​

    You can contact this service by email at HNELHD-JHHPharmacy@health.nsw.gov.au.

    Information is also available on the TGA website, see Resources, clinical trials and clinical evidence​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â€‹â€‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹.

    • Schedule 3: Certain preparations of cannabidiol. Currently, no products on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) meet this classification.
    • Schedule 4: Cannabidiol with at least 98% cannabidiol and 2% or less other cannabinoids.
    • Schedule 8: Nabiximols, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), nabilone, and dronabinol.

    A list of unregistered medicinal cannabis products is available at medicinal cannabis products by active ingredients.

    ​

  •  No, pharmacists can only stock unregistered medicines approved for specific patients by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Unregistered cannabis medicines cannot be held in stock without Commonwealth approval under the Special Access Scheme​â¶Ä‹, Authorised Prescriber Scheme​â¶Ä‹â€‹, or Clinical Trial Scheme​â¶Ä‹â€‹.​

    Registered medicines like Sativex® and Epidyolex® can be stocked like any Schedule 4 or 8 medicine.​â¶Ä‹

  • ​

    Possession of unregistered cannabis products is illegal unless authorised by the Secretary of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Ministry of Health for the purpose of scientific research, instruction, analysis, or study.

  • ​â¶Ä‹No, prescriptions must specify the exact strengths of the active ingredients.

    If it is a Schedule 8 cannabis medicine, each prescription must include only one Schedule 8 medicine. Substitution of products is not allowed.​â¶Ä‹

  • No. CBD is in Schedule 4 of the Poisons Standard when the product: 

    • ​â¶Ä‹is for therapeutic use, and
    • it contains CBD content of 98% or more of the total cannabinoid content of the preparation, and
    • if any cannabinoids (other than CBD) are present, they:
      • are naturally found in cannabis, and
      • ​comprise 2% or less of the total cannabinoid content​
  • ​

    Yes, if:

    If the medicine is a Schedule 8 unregistered cannabis medicine:

    • the prescriber must be lawfully allowed to prescribe the medicine in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (for example, has not had their authority to prescribe Schedule 8 medicines withdrawn or restricted by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Health) 
    • the prescription must meet the requirements under the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation​
    • the pharmacist must know the prescriber or the patient, or verify the prescription with the prescriber
    • for extemporaneously compounded medicines, the prescriber must be a medical practitioner, has ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Ministry of Health approval to prescribe to the patient, and has included this approval number on the prescription.  ​

  • Yes, if it:

    ​â¶Ä‹

  • ​Schedule 8 cannabis medicines that are extemporaneously compounded for individual ​therapeutic use need prior written approval from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Ministry of Health.​

    The approval number must be on the prescription. â€¯It is illegal to prescribe or dispense compounded cannabis medicines without such approval.

  • ​No, ​t​he prescription must be dispensed as specified, including the exact strength of active ingredient(s) and brand (if specified). Substitution of products will require a new prescription.

  • ​Only Schedule 8 medicines registered on the ARTG, such as Sativex® (nabiximols) oromucosal​â¶Ä‹â€‹ spray 80mg/mL, can be legally supplied on a verbal, phoned, e-mailed, or faxed direction of a prescriber. 

    If it’s an unregistered Schedule 8 medicine, you must wait until you receive a valid prescription before dispensing it. 

    ​

  • A medical practitioner can prescribe unregistered Schedule 8 cannabis medicines under the TGA Authorised Prescriber or Special Access Scheme (SAS).  A nurse practitioner can prescribe unregistered Schedule 8 cannabis medicines under the TGA SAS only.

    In ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, only medical practitioners can prescribe extemporaneously compounded Schedule 8 medicines after obtaining approval from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Ministry of Health.

    For more information, see Prescriptions, dispensing, storage and record keeping of cannabis medicines.

    ​

  • No, it includes cannabis material that is approved and intended for use in the manufacture of the final product. This cannabis material must, at every stage of the approved manufacturing process, be stored as a Schedule 8 substance with any transaction recorded in a drug register on the day of the transaction.

    ​
  • ​

    Yes, if the prescription is valid in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.  For Schedule 8 medicines, the following should be taken into consideration: 

    • patients with a paper prescription should be informed that the prescription (and any repeats) will be retained by the pharmacy
    • electronic prescriptions with repeats should be issued a token and the next dispensing pharmacist will need to check its validity in the new location
    • always confirm with the medicines regulator in other jurisdictions whether it's legal for a carrier to possess the medicine and for the patient to use it in that state or territory. ​â¶Ä‹â€‹
      ​

  • ​â¶Ä‹No, advertising Schedule 8 or Schedule 4 medicines to the public is illegal. Advertising or promoting unregistered medicines to any individual (including medical or nurse practitioners) is also illegal.

    More information can be found on the TGA website​â¶Ä‹â€‹ â€‹â¶Ä‹and the Ahpra​ Shared code of conduct​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â€‹â¶Ä‹â€‹â€‹.​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹ â€‹â¶Ä‹

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Compounding of cannabis medicines​â¶Ä‹

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  • ​

    No. Cannabis medicines are only for therapeutic use when prescribed by a registered medical or nurse practitioner. Possession, supply, manufacture, production, and cultivation of cannabis for any other purpose, including for recreational use, remains prohibited under the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985​​​.​â¶Ä‹

    ​

  • No. Many natural substances are dangerous. Cannabis can have serious side effects. More information is on Your Room - Cannabis.

    ​
  • ​

    Unregistered cannabis medicines, like other unregistered medicines, have not been assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for safety, quality, or effectiveness. â€‹

    ​â¶Ä‹Refer to Medicinal cannabis hub​​ for more information.​

  • Yes, under a traveller's exemption​​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â€‹â¶Ä‹ if it’s:

    • ​for the treatment of you or another traveller under your care,
    • prescribed by a medical practitioner​,
    • in the original packaging and labelling as dispensed by a pharmacist, and
    • quantity limited to three months' supply.​
    ​
  • ​For information on travelling with medicines, including cannabis medicines, see Travelling with medicines​â¶Ä‹â€‹.
  • Refer to the TGA's Advertising medicinal cannabis products​​ for compliance, guidance and advertising restrictions for businesses.​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹
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    ​
  • ​No, except for scientific research with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Ministry of Health approval. Otherwise, it's prohibited under the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985​â¶Ä‹â€‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹.​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â€‹

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Current as at: Monday 5 May 2025
Contact page owner: Pharmaceutical Services