On 9 July 2025, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the National Boards released updated guidance for doctors and nurse practitioners who prescribe medicinal cannabis.
These changes were introduced to improve patient safety, ensure prescribing is evidence-based, and address concerns about rapid growth in prescriptions.
At Dispense Direct, we want to keep patients informed about what these updates mean for your care.
Key Changes in the Guidelines
1. Medicinal Cannabis = Schedule 8 Medicine (in most cases)
Because many cannabis products contain THC, they are regulated as Schedule 8 medicines (like opioids). This means prescribers must apply the same level of caution and monitoring as other Schedule 8 Medicines.
2. Thorough Patient Assessments Required
Your prescriber is expected to:
- Review your full medical and mental health history.
- Assess your substance use history.
- Consider other treatments you’ve tried.
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Coordinate with your existing healthcare providers where appropriate.
Quick, “tick-box” style consultations are considered unsafe practice.
3. Not a First-Line Treatment
Medicinal cannabis should not be the first option for most conditions. Prescribers must consider evidence-based treatments first, unless there’s a strong reason not to.
For example: cannabis may help with chronic pain, insomnia, or anxiety, but AHPRA highlights that evidence is still limited for many of these conditions.
4. Informed Consent Is Essential
Patients must be told if a product is unapproved by the TGA. This means it hasn’t undergone the full safety and quality review process.
Your prescriber must explain:
- The potential risks and benefits.
- Any alternatives available.
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How your treatment will be monitored.
5. Clear Treatment Plans (and Exit Strategies)
Prescribers should create a management plan that sets:
- Goals of treatment (e.g. reduced pain, improved sleep).
- Monitoring and follow-up appointments.
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How to track side effects.
There must also be an exit strategy — a plan for stopping or changing treatment if it isn’t working or side effects outweigh the benefits.
6. Avoiding Poor Prescribing Practices
AHPRA has highlighted several practices that are not acceptable:
- Very short or superficial consultations.
- Prescribing just because a patient requests it.
- Issuing multiple prescriptions at once so patients can “try different products.”
- Prescribing unusually high amounts or too many repeats.
- Self-prescribing or prescribing for family members.
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Poor record-keeping or not checking other medications.
7. Stronger Oversight from AHPRA
AHPRA will now monitor prescribing patterns more closely. Practitioners with very high numbers of cannabis prescriptions may be investigated, even if no complaint is made.
There are also concerns about conflicts of interest - for example, clinics that prescribe and supply only one brand or product.
What This Means for Patients
Here’s what you should expect under the new guidelines:
- Your prescriber should spend time with you, not just a few minutes.
- You should be told if your product is TGA-approved or unapproved.
- There should be clear goals for your treatment.
- There will be an exit plan in case the treatment isn’t effective.
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Follow-ups are essential - it’s not a “set and forget” prescription.
Why the Changes?
These updates are designed to:
- Protect patients from inadequate assessments.
- Reduce the risk of misuse, dependence, or harm.
- Ensure medicinal cannabis is used appropriately, alongside or after other treatments.
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Improve transparency so patients feel fully informed about their care.
What You Can Do as a Patient
When speaking with your prescriber, it may help to ask:
- “Is my product TGA-approved or unapproved?”
- “What are the goals of this treatment, and how will we know if it’s working?”
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“What’s the plan if it doesn’t help me?”
At Dispense Direct, we welcome any guidelines that strengthen patient safety and ensure medicinal cannabis is prescribed responsibly.
Have questions about how these changes might affect your treatment? You can reach our team at 1300 420 965 or hello@dispensedirect.com.au, and we always recommend discussing your treatment plan directly with your healthcare provider.