Submissions
Improving Access to Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2023
4th May 2023
NATIONAL
The ALA has made a submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs in respect to the Improving Access to Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2023 (the Bill).
In our submission, we support the Bill’s proposed changes to the status of medicinal cannabis, allowing it to be treated as a therapeutic drug rather than a controlled drug. We note that while medicinal cannabis has been made accessible to patients in Australia since 2016, the current regulatory model makes it difficult for many people to access the system, and the resultant number of people who have been able to access medicinal cannabis is low compared to many other countries.
Our submission highlights issues with the cost of medicinal cannabis, the regulatory burdens and the outdated approaches of some medical practitioners under the current framework. We therefore support the Bill’s proposals, which have the potential to alleviate some of these issues, including reducing the cost of medicinal cannabis by opening the pathway for listing medicinal cannabis products on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
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