Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-03-19 Daily Xml

Contents

CBD Oil

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:36): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, on the topic of CBD oil. Can the minister please clarify for patients, such as those who have contacted me, the legal status of CBD oil in South Australia?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:36): I thank the honourable member for her question. I am advised that cannabidiol—or CBD, as it is commonly known—is legally available as a schedule 4, that is, as a prescription-only medicine, in South Australia. This follows a decision by the commonwealth therapeutic goods authority, which took effect nationally in July 2015.

At present, there are no registered or approved CBD products marketed for use in Australia. To enable timely access for patients, there are, however, a number of importers licensed by the commonwealth Office of Drug Control to import CBD medicines and several businesses licensed to manufacture CBD medicines in Australia. As there are no registered CBD medicines at this time in Australia, access and approval to prescribe these products is through the TGA Special Access Scheme, the Authorised Prescriber Scheme or through clinical trials.

More information on accessing medicinal cannabis products, including CBD oil, is available on the TGA website and also on the SA Health website. There is no authorisation required under South Australia's controlled substances legislation for a doctor to prescribe a schedule 4 medicine, including a schedule 4 CBD product. Doctors wanting more information about the clinical use of, and access to, CBD can contact the SA Health Medicines Information Service or the TGA. Contact details for the businesses that are approved to import and supply cannabis and CBD medicines are publicly available on the ODC website.