Biortica Responds to Upcoming Medicinal Cannabis Law Reviews

The Australian Government has announced a review of the medicinal cannabis regulatory framework, with Federal Health Minister Mark Butler stating the need to ensure “patients can take advantage of these new treatments in a safe way.” The review comes in response to growing concerns over a small number of prescribers issuing disproportionately high numbers of prescriptions, and broader calls for improved consistency and patient safeguards across the system. 

At Biortica Agrimed, we believe strongly in the importance of maintaining a regulatory system that protects patient safety, upholds medical integrity, and encourages confidence in the medicinal cannabis industry. We support efforts to strengthen compliance and ensure therapeutic goods are prescribed in alignment with best medical practice and relevant patient needs. 

A Growing Market and a Growing Responsibility 

More than 1.8 million medicinal cannabis scripts have been issued in Australia over the past five years — a figure that reflects increasing public acceptance and a growing body of real-world data supporting patient outcomes across a range of chronic conditions. But as Health Minister Butler acknowledged, “there are some business practices that have emerged that are, frankly, unsafe and certainly unscrupulous.” 

One reported case involved a single practitioner prescribing 72,000 scripts to over 10,000 patients in just two years — raising valid questions around oversight, dosage justification, and the integrity of approvals under existing pathways such as the Special Access Scheme. 

The Government has asked the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and state health departments to assess current controls and offer recommendations to tighten regulation while still supporting access. 

Keep Patients at the Centre 

Biortica Agrimed welcomes this review and reaffirms our commitment to patient-first principles. Medicinal cannabis can provide real relief to people living with chronic or treatment-resistant conditions. But this access must always be supported by clinical expertise, medical ethics, and appropriate regulatory guardrails. 

As a licensed B2B medicinal cannabis company, we do not sell directly to patients. Our role is to provide consistent, high-quality cannabis flower and oil to Australian pharmacists and prescribers through TGA-compliant pathways. We believe: 

  • Prescriptions should only be issued after a proper medical assessment; 
  • Cannabis should be considered where clinically appropriate, based on therapeutic need; 
  • Prescribers should be trained and authorised under the current schemes (SAS or Authorised Prescriber); 
  • Products should meet the TGA’s Therapeutic Goods Order No. 93 (TGO93) standards for safety, purity, and labelling; 
  • Regulatory enforcement should be strengthened to identify and address outliers who may compromise patient safety. 

Australia’s State-by-State Rules 

Another complexity flagged in the media coverage — including recent commentary in News.com.au — is the inconsistent handling of medicinal cannabis rules between states. For example: 

  • In NSW, both TGA and NSW Health approvals are required, and driving with any trace of THC is prohibited. 
  • In Victoria, additional approval is needed for minors and patients with a history of substance use, with some flexibility on license suspension for unimpaired users. 
  • Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory all enforce strict zero-tolerance drug-driving laws — even for those with a valid prescription. 

While these inconsistencies present challenges for patients and prescribers alike, they also reinforce the importance of clear federal standards that can be trusted to protect public health and legal access across the country. 

Future Policy Must Balance Access and Safety 

The Australian medicinal cannabis sector is still young, and its success will depend on building trust — with patients, with prescribers, and with regulators. Any regulatory changes must avoid reactionary overreach while ensuring systems are in place to: 

  • Prevent misuse and oversupply; 
  • Encourage evidence-based prescribing; 
  • Support responsible, high-quality production by Australian cultivators; 
  • Protect the public perception of medicinal cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic option. 

Biortica Agrimed is committed to working within this evolving landscape to support a sustainable, ethical industry. We welcome the government’s consultation and believe that smart policy will foster long-term health, economic, and scientific outcomes for Australia. 

Final Thoughts 

Medicinal cannabis has earned its place in Australia’s therapeutic toolkit, and the next stage of regulatory evolution must ensure that it continues to be used in safe, evidence-based ways. As the Federal Government works with health authorities and the industry to refine the system, Biortica Agrimed will continue to uphold high standards, produce consistent local products, and support responsible, patient-focused growth.