REVIEWED BY ESSENCE DISPENSARY TEAM: Dharni Khatri | Pharmacist

As more Australians seek alternative ways to manage chronic conditions, medical cannabis prescriptions have become an increasingly relevant alternative. However, despite growing awareness, many people are still unsure how to access prescription medical cannabis legally.

Whether you're just starting your research or ready to take the next step, this blog article explains exactly how to get a medical cannabis prescription in Australia—from eligibility to the role of online services, the prescription process, and how pharmacies like Essence Dispensary support you in your journey.

Understanding medical cannabis in Australia

Medical cannabis is legal and is heavily regulated in Australia to ensure it is prescribed safely and responsibly. Access is governed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a division of the Australian Government Department of Health. The TGA facilitates access through two main pathways:

  • Special Access Scheme Category B (SAS-B)

    Doctors and registered nurses apply on behalf of patients to be prescribed unregistered cannabis medicines.

  • Authorised Prescriber Scheme (AP)

    Doctors apply for approval to prescribe specific cannabis medicines to specific patient groups without needing to seek approval for each patient.

What is medical cannabis used for?

Doctors may consider prescribing medical cannabis for a range of conditions where other treatments have not provided adequate relief and the condition and/or symptoms are considered ‘chronic’. Common conditions include:

  • Chronic pain (e.g. arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines).
  • Anxiety and stress disorders.
  • Insomnia and sleep disturbances.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Epilepsy and seizure management.
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS).
  • Cancer-related symptoms (e.g. nausea, pain).
  • Palliative care symptom relief. 

While these are some of the more frequently approved conditions, it's important to note that approval is granted on a case-by-case basis. Your healthcare practitioner must demonstrate a clinical need and evidence of previous treatment options before pursuing a medical cannabis prescription. Importantly, it doesn’t end with a prescription, having a management and exit plan in place is also part of the process.

How to get a medical cannabis prescription in Australia

So, how do you get a medical cannabis prescription in Australia? The process has become far more accessible over recent years and can often be completed online. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

  • Check your eligibility.

  • Consult with a doctor or registered nurse who specialises in prescribing medical cannabis.

  • Doctor or registered nurse gets TGA approval (via one of two different pathways).

  • Get your prescription filled (with your TGA approval) at a pharmacy where medical cannabis is stocked.

Check your eligibility

Many clinics and pharmacies offer free online eligibility assessments. Essence Dispensary’s obligation-free patient questionnaire click here, will give you an indication within in a few minutes whether you’re eligible for a consultation. And you can even be booked in for a consult with a doctor or registered nurse from their network of healthcare practitioners who specialise in prescribing medical cannabis.

These eligibility assessment tools are designed to help you determine whether your circumstances qualify you to discuss being prescribed for a medical cannabis. You’ll typically answer questions about whether the health condition is chronic (experiencing symptoms for at least three months), and about your treatment history and experience with those traditional/conventional treatments.

Importantly, there’s two key eligibility requirements from the outset:

  1. You must be at least 18 years old.
  2. Have Australian resident status. 

The requirement to being at least 18 years old is about protecting the developing brain and about the ethical concerns of decision making and reasonable measures to stopping potential for misuse. Of course, Australia’s health framework and TGA guidelines allows for exceptions to the age requirement, however there’s stringent requirements to demonstrate it’s appropriate for the TGA to approve individual cases for people under 18 years of age; as well as more clinical oversight requirements for monitoring the treatment plan.

For those who don’t have ‘Australian resident status’ means that people living in Australia on a visa or visiting Australia as a tourist, may not be granted access to a medical cannabis prescription. Those on particular visas may be eligible depending on how long you’re staying/living in Australia. Again, a healthcare professional can assess if you meet the eligibility requirements based on your circumstances.

Consult with a doctor or registered nurse who specialises in prescribing medical cannabis

You can choose to visit your regular GP or connect with a medical cannabis/alternative health clinic that has a range of healthcare practitioners available (both doctors and/or registered nurses) who specialise in prescribing medical cannabis. You may find that your regular GP doesn’t have experience with prescribing medical cannabis or may not be comfortable with prescribing medical cannabis. Connecting with specialist pharmacists, like the team at Essence Dispensary, is helpful as they can refer you to the healthcare practitioners they know specialise in prescribing medical cannabis. Essence Dispensary has both doctors and registered nurses who are available for consultations. If eligible, the Essence Dispensary team can help to arrange the consult.

Once you’ve consulted with a healthcare practitioner and discussed your circumstances/condition and medical history, they may consider it appropriate to prescribe medical cannabis as a treatment plan. They then apply for the necessary TGA approval to accompany your prescription so you can get it filled.

All doctors and registered nurses can apply for TGA approval via SAS-B pathway or for doctors who frequently prescribe medical cannabis, they can apply with the TGA to become an Authorised Prescriber (AP). Being an AP is only available to doctors, not registered nurses.

The TGA approval process includes the healthcare practitioner submitting documentation of your condition, previous treatment outcomes, and the justification for trying medical cannabis.

The TGA usually reviews and responds to applications within 24–72 hours. As a patient, you’ll receive a copy of the TGA approval, which is required to be given to the pharmacy/dispensary along with your prescription.

Get your prescription filled

Not all pharmacies stock medical cannabis products/medicines. Or their range of cannabis-based products/medicines can be limited. That’s where specialist pharmacies like Essence Dispensary come in. They only dispense medical cannabis prescriptions and therefore stock a wide range of medical cannabis products/medicines, along with the supporting devices and tools required for taking the cannabis-based medication.

You can get your prescription filled online by submitting your prescription and uploading your TGA approval on our website send us your script or you can email scripts@essencedispensary.com.au. For paper-based scripts, we can only accept this directly from a pharmacy or a clinic/doctor—we can’t accept paper-based scripts directly from patients. Our pharmacists are happy to help if you let us know which pharmacy last dispensed your medication and we can arrange all the paperwork for you.

Can you get a medical cannabis prescription online?

Thanks to the availability of telehealth appointments, the process is easier and more discreet for people considering medical cannabis treatment as an alternative to their previous experience with conventional/traditional first line treatments.

Telehealth appointments let you consult with a healthcare provider remotely using video or phone calls. After booking, you'll receive instructions on how to join the appointment, usually through a link or phone number. At the scheduled time, you speak with the healthcare practitioner much like an in-person visit—they can assess symptoms, offer medical advice, issue prescriptions, or refer you for further care if needed.

The Medicare rebate for these appointments is the same as for in-person appointments. There’s no difference in the amount you’ll get back from Medicare to cover the cost of the consult. So, you’re not disadvantaged financially if you choose a telehealth appointment over an in-person consult.

It’s important to understand that the legal requirements are the same as an in-person consultation. That means:

  • You must speak with a registered Australian medical practitioner.

  • Your condition must be assessed thoroughly before any prescription is given.

If you're searching for medical cannabis prescription Australia online, this pathway offers a safe and efficient way to begin treatment.

What’s involved in a prescription for medical cannabis?

Once approved, your prescription for medical cannabis will include several details tailored to your individual treatment plan:

  • Type of product

  • Dosage instructions

  • Treatment duration

  • Pharmacist and other practitioner support

Type of product

Doctors can prescribe a range of cannabis-based medicines, including:

  • Dried flower (typically vaporised).
  • Oils or tinctures.
  • Capsules.
  • Topical applications.

Each product contains different concentrations of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol), depending on your needs. To read more about different cannabis-based medicines click here.

Dosage instructions

You’ll receive clear guidance on:

  • Starting dose.
  • Titration (how to increase gradually, if needed).
  • How often to take your medication. 
Breathing and centering

Treatment duration

Prescriptions are often reviewed every 1–3 months to monitor progress and make adjustments.

Support from your pharmacist

At Essence Dispensary, we embrace a holistic approach to your wellbeing, recognising the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and emotional health in your journey to wellness.

We’re here to support you on your path to move forward. Our commitment lies in a close collaboration with you to set and follow your prescriptions guidelines, tailoring our guidance to your experience with any side effects or concerns for a truly effective and personalised approach. Beyond medication, we explore your lifestyle, seeking opportunities for holistic improvements to optimise your overall wellbeing.

At Essence Dispensary, our pharmacist team helps you:

  • Understand how to use your medication, especially dry herb vaporisers.
  • Learn best practices for storage and dosage.
  • Navigate follow-up questions or adjustments with your prescriber.
  • Get the answers to frequently asked questions.

Our focus is on ensuring safe, effective, and confident use of medical cannabis products.

We stock medical cannabis products onsite ready for collection instore at Carina or we ship/post across Australia via express post. Our medical cannabis product range is extensive and we can order in most commercially available products.

If there are stock issues with a particular brand/product, we can always contact your doctor on your behalf to request the medication prescribed to be changed to the next most suitable medicine.

What conditions qualify for a medical cannabis prescription?

Every patient is unique, and medical cannabis prescriptions are only granted after a healthcare practitioner has carefully reviewed your case. As medical cannabis isn’t a first-line treatment, you must have tried conventional treatments without success—which means they haven’t effectively relieved the symptoms being treated—or perhaps they’ve been effective at treatment but created intolerable side effects.

While there’s no definitive list of qualifying conditions, health practitioners commonly prescribe medical cannabis for:

  • Chronic pain

    Arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, migraines.

  • Mental health

    Generalised anxiety disorder, PTSD, insomnia.

  • Neurological conditions

    Epilepsy, MS, Parkinson’s disease.

  • Cancer and palliative care

    Pain relief, appetite stimulation, nausea control.

To learn more about the science behind medical cannabis and how it works in the body click here.

Start your medical cannabis journey with Essence Dispensary

At Essence Dispensary, we’re committed to supporting Australians who are looking for safe, effective, and legal access to prescription medical cannabis. Whether you already have a prescription or are just beginning your journey, we can help.

- Check your eligibility via our free online questionnaire.

- Chat with our specialist pharmacy team for personalised guidance.

- Send us your prescription and get started with the right product for your needs.

Ready to take the next step?

We’re a patient-centred clinic, dispensing alternative medicine through collaborative relationships with healthcare professionals. We create a caring space where people are empowered on their natural path forward, together with the Essence Dispensary team’s tailored support.

×