The health regulator approved 9,000 medicinal cannabis prescriptions in January, a 4% increase on the same month last year, latest figures have shown.

Oil accounted for 50% of prescriptions and flower 37%.

Among men, who made up 62% of patients, 42% of scripts were for flower and 45% for oil.

However, oral solution remained the dominant dosage form among women, accounting for six out of 10 prescriptions, double that of dried herb.

More than 83% of approvals were for schedule 8 medicine, in line with previous months.

Chronic pain (45%), anxiety (29%) and sleep disorder (9%) were the main conditions treated with medicinal cannabis.

Steve has reported for a number of consumer and B2B titles over a journalism career spanning more than three decades. He is a regulator contributor to health journal, The Medical Republic, writing on...

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