Medicinal cannabis beyond reach for many

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-01-21 00:01

New Zealand

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New Zealand’s Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, launched in April 2020, was supposed to improve access to cannabidiol products, however a lack of public funding means that these products are by-and-large a medicine for the rich, according to an editorial by Massey University public health researchers. Only a third of requests for medicinal cannabis prescriptions are successful, meaning some New Zealanders turn to specialist cannabis clinics in order to find a GP willing to prescribe, and many others continue to source it from the black market. Experts suggest that doctors need more training and education around the appropriate use of cannabis-based products in order to quell this trend, and recommend that non-intoxicating cannabidiol products be made available over-the-counter.