Whilst QLD is the sunshine state known for its outdoor living, many residents suffer from debilitating conditions that affect movement and quality of life. Good news, there are alternative therapies available to you if you live in QLD. As of 2016, one of the newest options for alternative treatments is medical cannabis.
So, how do patients access medical marijuana in Brisbane, Gold Coast, or any other region of Queensland? It’s easier than you think.
Medical Cannabis Patients in QLD
By the end of 2021, Australia had approved more than 130 thousand applications for medical cannabis for patients living in QLD.
According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), medical marijuana patients in QLD are mostly between 18 to 44 years old and use medical cannabis to treat common conditions like chronic pain and anxiety.
These may be the top conditions currently reported, but of course, patients are getting support with a dozen or more other conditions as well.
At alternaleaf, we serve a large number of patients from Queensland — more than 50 percent of our patients live in the state. South Brisbane, Northside and Central QLD are all well represented.
How To Access Medical Cannabis in Brisbane
No matter where you live in Brisbane (or Greater Queensland), a medical cannabis consultation is only a click away. alternaleaf serves all patients in Australia – in the city, on the beach, or in the bush — through an online telehealth model.
The process is easy. After a screening to determine your initial eligibility, your consultation with one of our nurses goes into more detail about your condition, your potential concerns, and a brief medical history.
The doctor will go through your health history and issue you a prescription, which is dispensed through one of our partner pharmacies.
At alternaleaf, all our doctors are highly experienced in the field of chronic pain, mental health, sleep disorders, and medical cannabis. Appointments are online so you never have to leave your home to get the help you need. This is an excellent option for patients in rural or remote areas as your medicine is delivered right to your door.
The cost of medical marijuana in Brisbane, QLD depends on the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor, which is individual to you and your condition.
Except for one pharmaceutical option used to treat Dravet syndrome, medical cannabis is not yet covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). So we recommend checking with your private health insurance carrier to see how much or what they will cover.
Queensland’s Regulations on Medical Cannabis
Keep in mind, Queensland also has an additional precaution before issuing a prescription. As they state, “You will need to give informed consent and sign that you understand that you cannot drive or operate heavy machinery if the medicinal cannabis contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).”
Your prescriber may issue you a prescription for any number of different formulas and products, including capsules, flower, lozenges, and oils. But, in Queensland, “Patients are not approved to smoke cannabis as this exposes them to many of the same health risks as smoking regular cigarettes.”
If prescribed flower by your cannabis doctor, they recommend vaporising over smoking, and with a TGA-approved vapouriser like the Mighty Medic or the Volcano Medic.
Is Cannabis Legal for Recreational Use in QLD?
Like most of the country, cannabis isn’t legal for recreational use in Queensland. So any products you may run into that aren’t prescribed through the TGA’s Special Access Scheme are illicit.
Keep in mind that black market marijuana hasn’t been grown following strict quality controls, regulators haven’t tested it for purity or contaminants, and it can get you into trouble with authorities.
The only way to legally and safely access cannabis in QLD is to go through the proper channels, which means setting up a consultation and speaking with a doctor.
Eligibility for Medical Cannabis in QLD
You can find out if you are eligible for medical cannabis by contacting alternaleaf. Our pre-screening questionnaire takes 1 minute and is easy yes-or-no questions.
We follow the Commonwealth’s guidelines on eligibility for medical marijuana in Brisbane. First, access is granted to patients with medical conditions with evidence to support its therapeutic use, as determined by the TGA. But you don’t have to worry about that, your doctors will take care of your approval.
Some of the conditions that the government lists on their website include:
Muscular spasms
Nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy
Anxiety
Chronic pain
Epilepsy
Medical Cannabis as an Alternative
If you are looking for an alternative or adjunct therapy to conventional treatment, medical marijuana in Brisbane may be an option to explore. There are a few different routes to obtaining a prescription, including our streamlined approach at alternaleaf.