The number of SAS-B approvals for medicinal cannabis surged again in March as the Therapeutic Goods Administration rubber stamped 14,791 applications, up 20% on February.
The total number of approvals for the first quarter of 2024 now stands at 37,684, up 21% on the previous corresponding period and the highest since legalisation in 2016.
Victoria and Queensland were both responsible for 36% of approvals, followed by New South Wales at 24%, while high-THC, category 5 medicine contributed just over half the number at 7,493, 45% of which (3,365) were for men aged 18 to 44.
Overall, the gender split stayed at 60:40 in favour of men while chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorder were still the most common indications for which a SAS-B approval was granted, followed by depression, PTSD and ADHD.
Oral solutions remained the most popular delivery format with 46% of approvals, although flower was up from 37% to 39% of the market, followed by inhalation (7%) and pastilles (3%).
The SAS-B applications were generated by 950 prescribers.
