As the deadline approaches for the industry to have its say on the future framework of medicinal cannabis, it is felt one group are being overlooked: patients. Here, patient advocate Natalie D’Alessandro calls for one final push to ensure their voices are heard, loud and clear.
Access to medicinal cannabis shouldn’t be limited to the wealthy or privileged. Australia has come far, but we still have a long way to go.
Joni Mitchell sang it best: “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”
Australia boasts one of the world’s most enviable medicinal cannabis systems, including a thriving sector offering safe access, innovative formulations, and patient care that many other countries can only dream of.
But right now, with the AHPRA crackdown and TGA consultation underway, patient voices are at risk of being ignored.
Harms are being assumed to be greater than they are, and prescribers who focus primarily on medicinal cannabis are being unfairly targeted.
This action is targeting doctors who prescribe the most, without any discussion of how to support them or the patients they care for.
We have only until October 7 to make sure patient experiences count.
So it’s cool that Snoop’s in Australia performing at the footy grand final, enjoying his medicine so openly.
But what about access for all Australians in generations to come?
Across the globe, we need to heed the early warning signs and think about the future of cannabis as medicine.
- In France, flower has been completely removed from the medical cannabis system.
- In Germany, flower access may be under threat for patients.
- In Canada, some CBD products became unavailable for reasons unrelated to patient needs. Read more here.
In case you need reminding that there are real consequences when patient needs are overlooked, listen to what global cannabis industry expert Deepak Anand said about the Canadian perspective in a podcast on Instagram.
“Did recreational legalisation come on the backs of medical cannabis patients? Yes. Have we done a bit of a disservice to medical patients? Yes. In this rush towards legalisation, we’ve forgotten a bit about medical patients.”
Here in Australia, the end of this crucial consultation period coincides with the holidays, making it easy for patient voices to be missed amid busy schedules and competing demands.
That’s why this final week is especially critical. We need to remind our leaders!
If you want future access to medicinal cannabis to remain available in full plant form, now is the time to engage, in whatever way feels manageable and comfortable for you.
If you earn income from this industry, your responsibility goes further.
Please also think strategically about how you can inspire and mobilise patient networks to take action and sign up at ThePatients.au
What we can do
The Patients Campaign is stepping in to make sure patient benefits stay front and centre. You can take action today. Sign up at ThePatients.au and get:
- A one-click letter to the prime minister and health leaders. Click here.
- A patient benefits survey capturing real-world outcomes for submission. Click here.
- A marketing kit with ready-to-use campaign assets. Click here.
Why it matters
If we lose our seat at the table, our leaders and regulators risk becoming disconnected from the people they’re meant to serve – the patients.
Australia’s sector is strong because it started by listening to real patient experience, we cannot afford to lose that.
Call to action
Patients deserve to be heard. Here’s how you can help:
- Send an email and SMS to your databases
- Divert your META ad spend to drive traffic to ThePatients.au
- Sponsor a post on Reddit, LinkedIn, or other social channels
- Share links widely with colleagues, patients, and networks
Every action counts. Every patient story matters. The final deadline is October 7, 2025.
Now is the time to make sure patients get a seat at the table.
Join the movement at ThePatients.au
Natalie D’Alessandro is CEO of Viz Medicinal and co-founder of The Patients movement. This article first appeared on LinkedIn.