Library resource guides: Medicinal cannabis: Legislation &amp; policy

Guide index

Medicinal cannabis legislation (Australia and New Zealand)

Federal Legislation

Narcotic Drugs Amendment Act 2016

Office of Drug Control: Medicinal cannabis

Therapeutic Goods Administration: Medicinal cannabis hub.

Australian Capital Territory Legislation

Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008

ACT Government: Prescribing and supplying medicinal cannabis

New South Wales Legislation

Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Cannabis Medicines) Regulation 2019

NSW Health: Cannabis medicines

NSW Government: Clinical guidance for cannabis medicine prescribers.

Northern Territory Legislation

Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012

Northern Territory Government: Access to medicinal cannabis/CDB oil in the NT: Fact sheet

NT Health: Therapeutic medicines containing cannabinoids (medicinal cannabis)

Queensland Legislation

Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021

Qld Health: Medicinal cannabis

South Australia Legislation

Controlled Substances Act 1984

SA Health: Medicinal cannabis - patient access in South Australia

Tasmania Legislation

Misuse of Drugs Act 2001

Poisons Regulations 2018

Tasmanian Government | Department of Health: Medical cannabis

Victorian Legislation

Access to Medicinal Cannabis Act 2016

Victorian State Government | Department of Health: Medicinal cannabis

Western Australia Legislation

Misuse of Drugs Act 1981

WA Department of Health: Cannabis-based products

New Zealand Legislation

Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019

Ministry of Health: Medicinal cannabis

Medsafe: Prescribing cannabis-based products

Key documents

PS10(PM) "Medicinal Cannabis" and chronic non-cancer pain Statement on "Medicinal Cannabis" with particular reference to its use in the management of patients with chronic non-cancer pain
PS10(PM)BP "Medicinal Cannabis" and chronic non-cancer pain Background paper Statement on "Medicinal Cannabis" with particular reference to its use in the management of patients with chronic non-cancer pain background paper
FPM Submission: Review on the safety of low dose cannabidiol
FPM and medicinal cannabis
Choosing Wisely Australia - FPM Recommendations Recommendations from the Faculty of Pain Medicine, ANZCA on chronic pain, neuropathic pain and low back pain. The Faculty of Pain Medicine is a faculty of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and is the professional organisation for specialist pain medicine physicians (Fellows) and specialist pain medicine physicians in training (trainees). The Faculty is responsible for the training, examination and specialist accreditation of specialist pain medicine physicians and for the standards of clinical practice for pain medicine in Australia and New Zealand. Formed in 1998, the Faculty is the first multidisciplinary medical academy in the world to be devoted to education and training in pain medicine.
TGA: Guidance for the use of medicinal cannabis in Australia: overview
Medsafe: Prescribing cannabis-based products
IASP Presidential Taskforce on Cannabis and Cannabinoid Analgesia position statement Reviews of preclinical research and clinical safety and efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoids for pain relief have identified important research gaps. Due to the lack of high-quality clinical evidence, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) does not currently endorse general use of cannabis and cannabinoids for pain relief. International Association for the Study of Pain recognizes the pressing need for preclinical and clinical studies to fill the research gap, and for education on this topic.

Therapeutic Guidelines

Cannabinoids for pain management