Cannabis Council Australia has described its first meeting with Rapid Regulatory Response  Unit (RRRU) boss Jason McHeyzer as “constructive and engaging” while urging the regulator to prioritise prescriber education over punitive measures.

Jason McHeyzer

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) launched the RRRU earlier this year to tackle unethical business operations and prescribing practices.

Cannabis Council Australia said the introductory meeting “set the stage for ongoing collaboration between the regulatory body and key industry stakeholders”.

Industry and government engagement lead Matthew McCrone stressed the “importance of a regulatory approach that prioritises education and support for prescribers, ensuring that the growing medicinal cannabis sector continues to thrive while maintaining high standards of patient care”.

“Cannabis Council Australia is encouraged by the open and constructive nature of the discussion with the RRRU,” he added.

“Our focus was on advocating for a balanced regulatory framework that supports both eligible patient access and prescriber confidence. It is essential that the regulatory environment focuses on education over punitive measures in the first instance, particularly given the sector’s emerging status.”

Meanwhile, Cannabis Council Australia said early findings from its 2024 state of the industry survey have shown that three-quarters of clinicians who responded consider current levels of education around medical cannabis to be insufficient.

McCrone said the result showed “a significant need for enhanced education and clearer guidance for healthcare professionals”.

“We conveyed to the RRRU that supporting prescribers through education will ultimately benefit patients and the broader healthcare system,” he added.

Prior to launching Cannabiz, Martin was co-founder and CEO of Asia-Pac’s leading B2B media and marketing information brand Mumbrella, overseeing its sale to Diversified Communications in 2017. A journalist...

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