If you are an inhabitant of Australia and suffer from a chronic or debilitating illness, you may be wondering how to get a prescription for medical cannabis. Thankfully, the process is not as complicated as you might think. We will outline the steps you need to take to obtain a prescription and what should you do after getting it. Keep reading for more information!
Book An Appointment With Your Doctor
If you think that medical cannabis could help you, the first step is to book an appointment with your doctor. Next, you will need to talk with them about your symptoms and why you think medical cannabis could help.
Your doctor will then assess whether medical cannabis is the proper treatment for you. If they think it could be helpful, they will start writing a prescription.
Get Approval From The Therapeutic Goods Administration.
For your doctor to prescribe medical cannabis, they will need to get approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA is the Australian government body that regulates medicines and medical devices.
To get approval, your doctor needs to apply to the TGA. The TGA will then assess the application and decide whether or not to approve it. If they approve it, they will issue a prescription that your doctor can give you.
Find A Medical Cannabis Supplier.
Once you have been prescribed medical cannabis, you will need to find a supplier. There are a few different ways to do this.
You may ask the doctor for recommendations or look for suppliers online. Make sure that you choose a reputable supplier licensed by the TGA.
Get Your Medical Cannabis.
Once you have found a supplier, you will need to get your medical cannabis. Most suppliers will require you to have a prescription before selling you any product.
You may be able to get your medical cannabis delivered to your home, or you may need to collect it from the supplier’s premises.
Start Taking Medical Cannabis.
Once you have your medical cannabis, it is time to start taking it. There are a few different ways to take medical cannabis, including smoking it, vaporizing it, or taking it in pill form.
Your doctor will give advise you on the best way to take medical cannabis for your particular condition. They will guide you on how much you should take.
Monitor Your Symptoms
Once you start taking medical cannabis, it is essential to monitor your symptoms. It would be best if you’ve compiled a diary of your symptoms and how well medical cannabis is helping to relieve them.
If any improvement is not visible in your symptoms after a few weeks, it may be worth trying a different dose or method of taking medical cannabis.
Adjust Your Dose As Necessary
If you find that your initial dose of medical cannabis is not effective, don’t worry – this is normal. Like the other medications, it may take a few tries to find the right dose.
If you do not see any betterment in your symptoms, talk to your doctor about increasing your dose. Conversely, if you are experiencing side effects, you may need to reduce your dose.
Review Your Treatment Regularly
It is crucial to review your treatment regularly with your doctor. This will help to ensure that medical cannabis is still the best treatment for you and that you are taking the right dose.
Your review should include a discussion of your symptoms and how well medical cannabis is helping to relieve them.
Continue Taking Medical Cannabis As Long As It Is Helpful
You should continue taking medical cannabis as long as it helps relieve your symptoms. If you find that it is no longer effective or experiencing side effects, talk to your doctor about stopping treatment.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you enough to understand how to get a prescription for medical cannabis in Australia. If you have any queries, talk to your doctor. Thanks for reading!