RACGP calls for stricter rules on medicinal cannabis prescribing
25 Feb 2026
In a recent submission to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the college urged that all cannabis products be approved on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and that unethical telehealth prescribing be addressed.
The RACGP said the current system, which allows some unapproved products to be prescribed, leaves Australians exposed to unsafe medicines. The college recommends an 18–24 month transition to ensure all medicinal cannabis products meet the same safety and quality standards as other medicines.
Currently, only two medicinal cannabis products are fully approved on the ARTG, but the number of prescriptions has grown rapidly in recent years. The RACGP is particularly concerned about THC-heavy products, which are now the most commonly prescribed and mostly used by people aged 18–44 for conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety.
“This is a major public health risk,” the RACGP said. “High-strength THC products can increase anxiety, trigger psychotic events, and contribute to dependency or cannabis use disorder.”
The college supports a cautious approach, recommending THC-containing products only as a last resort and at the lowest effective dose.
The RACGP also highlighted issues with some telehealth providers who prescribe cannabis without proper oversight, noting that most regular GPs prescribe responsibly.
The TGA received nearly 800 submissions during its consultation and confirmed that many stakeholders support stronger controls on medicinal cannabis, including better quality standards, packaging, and labelling. Concerns were also raised about products like pastilles and gummies, and gaps in patients’ knowledge about the unapproved status of some products.
The consultation comes as the Department of Veterans’ Affairs recently introduced dosing limits and stricter rules for prescribing medicinal cannabis under its funding programs.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners