Medicinal cannabis is legal in South Australia (SA) for medical or scientific applications. The Australian government passed federal legislation in 2016 to legalise medicinal cannabis nationwide. The national licensing scheme allows for regulated access to these products. Cultivation, importation, manufacturing and production activities surrounding medicinal cannabis require the appropriate permits and licences.
You must acquire a prescription to access medicinal cannabis products in South Australia. A doctor may prescribe you medicinal cannabis if they believe it would benefit your medical treatment. Your prescription will outline the appropriate product and dosage that you have access to.
Licensed medical practitioners such as doctors may prescribe medicinal cannabis in South Australia. Medicinal cannabis products are Scheduled medicines and considered “unapproved therapeutic goods” by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This means that doctors must use the appropriate pathways to prescribe these products. Doctors who are using the Special Access Scheme (SAS) pathway must seek TGA approval for each individual patient prescription that they write. In certain circumstances, they must seek additional approval under the South Australia Controlled Substances legislation. This includes when prescriptions are longer than two months, when the patient has already been prescribed scheduled medicines for at least two months or when the patient has a history of drug-dependency.If using the authorised prescriber scheme, doctors may prescribe medicinal cannabis to a range of patients under their care. They do not require TGA approval for individual patients.
Companies with the appropriate licences can supply medicinal cannabis in South Australia. A national-level licence and permit from the Office of Drug Control (ODC) is necessary to cultivate, produce, import and wholesale medicinal cannabis. Any manufacturing and packaging activities must further comply with the TGA’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines. The Government of South Australia does not issue state-level licences or permits for the cultivation or supply of medicinal cannabis.
A patient is eligible for medicinal cannabis treatment in South Australia if a doctor determines that it would benefit them. There is no specific list of conditions considered appropriate for medicinal cannabis treatment by the TGA. A doctor may prescribe it when they consider it suitable for a patient’s treatment plan. The SAS and authorised prescriber schemes are the two methods they can use to acquire medicinal cannabis products for patients.
You can buy medicinal cannabis from any pharmacy in South Australia if you have a prescription. Pharmacies must handle medicinal cannabis products in the same way as any scheduled goods. Their dispensing activities must comply with the standards set by the TGA and the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
The amount of medicinal cannabis you can possess in South Australia is limited by your prescription. Your prescription outlines a particular product in a specific dosage that you may possess. Any medicinal cannabis products you possess must remain in their original packaging and retain their pharmacy labelling.
You may not legally drive in SA while undergoing medicinal cannabis treatment that involves THC. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is an active component in many medicinal cannabis products. Driving with THC in your system is illegal due to its potential to cause cognitive impairment.Cannabidiol (CBD) is another substance commonly found in medicinal cannabis products. CBD is legally allowed to be in your system when you are driving. However, it is worth noting that many CBD-dominant products contain trace amounts of THC. CBD-isolate products may be appropriate for patients who must drive regularly. These are the least likely to contain any trace of THC. Read your prescription label and consult your doctor for clarification.
You may be fired from certain workplaces in SA for using medicinal cannabis products. Every company has their own drug testing policy and many list THC as a banned substance. This is a common component in many medicinal cannabis products and testing positive for THC may result in your firing. Make sure to discuss the company drug policy with your employer before commencing with medicinal cannabis treatment.
You can travel domestically to SA with medicinal cannabis if you have a prescription for it. Any medicinal cannabis products on your person must remain in their original packaging. You must have your prescription with you at all times.
Health insurance can cover medicinal cannabis in SA under certain providers. Medicinal cannabis products are ineligible for public health insurance like Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). However, certain private insurance companies may cover medicinal cannabis costs as an optional extra. Talk to your insurance provider for exact details.
Government of South Australia
Therapeutic Goods Administration
