Western Australian General Practitioners Can Now Prescribe Medical Cannabis

Western Australia made an advancement in public health policy earlier this month by allowing general practitioners to prescribe cannabis-derived medicines.

This brings the region in lockstep with other jurisdictions including New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, according to Marijuana Business Daily. 

Why It Matters

Doctors worldwide tend to be reluctant to prescribe cannabis-based medicines, and legislation usually leaves this possibility to specialized doctors like oncologists or neurologists.

The need for a specialist adds extra expenses and an additional step for patients seeking a cannabis prescription. 

Australia’s new approach resembles that taken by Israel, which allows doctors to prescribe cannabis as a government-reimbursed medication.

A Successful Model

In other cities, the approach is beginning to have a significant impact. For example, in New York, cannabis is now prescribed at community clinics.

In contrast, Europe has still a long way to go before this kind of policy is approved and supported by local governments.

Picture via Unspash.