Prescription access to medicinal cannabis is skyrocketing – now Monash researchers have …

# 💊 The rapid increase in prescription access to medicinal cannabis in Australia reflects shifting regulatory landscapes and patient demand, though clinicians should recognize that this growth outpaces robust evidence for most indications beyond neuropathic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea. While some patients report subjective symptom relief, the heterogeneity of cannabis products, variable cannabinoid ratios, and limited long-term safety data complicate evidence-based prescribing, particularly in vulnerable populations such as adolescents and those with psychosis risk. Healthcare providers must balance patient expectations and anecdotal reports against the modest evidence base, remaining aware that prescription patterns may reflect regulatory permissiveness rather than clinical superiority over established alternatives. Before initiating medicinal cannabis, clinicians should conduct thorough baseline assessments including psychiatric history, document specific therapeutic targets measurable at follow-up, and discuss realistic expectations given the gap between patient hopes and current evidence. In practice,