The Therapeutic Goods Administration is being urged to maintain a balanced and evidence-based approach to medicinal cannabis access – or risk driving people to the unregulated illicit market.
Amid rising concerns about patient safety in the medicinal cannabis sector, the TGA is reviewing medicinal cannabis regulations to ensure appropriate regulatory oversight and market controls are in place.
In its formal submission to this review, independent drug policy research non-profit Penington Institute has:
- BACKED patient access to medicinal cannabis through a safe, affordable, and reliable medical framework,
- OBSERVED there’s little evidence increased access to prescribed medicinal cannabis has led to an increase in health harms,
- WARNED that changes to curtail patient access to medicinal cannabis could “displace current patients into the unregulated, unsafe illicit market”, and
- URGED more research be undertaken to properly evaluate the evidence underpinning any proposed reforms.
Attributable to Penington Institute Acting CEO and Director of Research Dr Jake Dizard:
“This review offers a crucial opportunity to improve confidence in the medicinal cannabis regime.”
“A pragmatic, evidence-based approach is required. The TGA must make sensible improvements without creating new barriers to patient access.”
“The last thing we want is for medicinal cannabis to be so difficult to access that people simply switch to easily available illicit cannabis.”
“Ultimately, Australia needs a wholesale realignment of cannabis policy, including the introduction of regulated adult access to cannabis for non-medicinal use.”
“Broad and common-sense cannabis regulation will take pressure off the medicinal cannabis sector and help reduce harms across the broader community.”
Dr Jake Dizard is available for interview.
- The Penington Cannabis Control Plan is a detailed roadmap for how Australian states and territories can safely legalise and regulate cannabis for adults. Read more at regulateit.com.au
- Penington Institute is an independent drug policy research non-profit committed to freedom from serious drug harms. Read more at penington.org.au
Media contact: Ryan Sheales, 0402 351 412, ryan@theagendagroup.com.au