How to get medical cannabis in Australia is the same question wherever you live — whether you are in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide — because the pathway is national, regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and accessed through a doctor. This page maps that pathway from start to finish. It is an information resource only; CBD Oil Australia sells over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD oil, which is a completely separate product category described further below.
This is not medical advice, and CBD Oil Australia is not a clinic, a prescriber or a pharmacy. The information below describes the publicly available framework as published by the TGA. If you want a clinical assessment, the right step is to contact a doctor or a registered medical cannabis clinic.
Is medical cannabis legal across Australia?
Yes. Medical cannabis became legally accessible across Australia in 2016, following changes to the Narcotic Drugs Act that permitted licensed cultivation, manufacture and regulated supply. The national framework applies in every state and territory — there is no state-by-state opt-in. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide residents all access the same national scheme.
Most medical cannabis products are "unapproved therapeutic goods", meaning they are not listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Under the national framework, doctors access them through two TGA pathways: the Special Access Scheme (SAS Category B) and the Authorised Prescriber scheme. The current scheme, with all eligibility and approval requirements, is published in full on the TGA website.
Who can prescribe medical cannabis in Australia?
Only a registered medical practitioner — a GP, specialist or nurse practitioner — who holds the appropriate TGA authorisation can prescribe medical cannabis in Australia. Authorisation is linked to the specific pathway: under SAS Category B, the doctor applies on behalf of each individual patient; under the Authorised Prescriber scheme, a doctor is pre-approved to prescribe to a class of patients within their practice.
There is no separate profession called a "cannabis doctor". That phrase simply describes a doctor who is experienced with the TGA paperwork and the clinical considerations involved. All prescribers must be registered with AHPRA and must follow the TGA approval process regardless of whether they consult in person or via telehealth.
Because the consulting model is typically telehealth, location is rarely an obstacle. A single registered medical cannabis clinic can see patients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and everywhere in between — the national pathway does not require you to travel.
Step-by-step: how the prescription pathway works nationally
The process is consistent across Australia. Here is how it unfolds from first contact through to dispensing:
- Find a doctor or clinic. Most patients start with a telehealth medical cannabis clinic, which brings the consultation and the TGA application process together. A conventional GP or specialist with the relevant authorisation is equally valid.
- Book an eligibility consultation. The doctor reviews your medical history and current situation to determine whether a medical cannabis product is clinically appropriate. This is a clinical judgement made by a qualified practitioner — an eligibility check is not the same as a guaranteed outcome.
- The doctor applies to the TGA. If the doctor decides to prescribe, they submit an application through either SAS Category B or the Authorised Prescriber pathway. Applications are reviewed by the TGA and, where required, the relevant state or territory body; turnaround is typically a few business days.
- An electronic prescription is issued. Once the TGA authorises the product, the doctor issues an eScript.
- Dispensing at a pharmacy. The eScript is presented to an Australian pharmacy that stocks or can source the prescribed product. The pharmacist dispenses it.
That sequence — doctor, TGA application, pharmacy — is the whole medical pathway, national and consistent from Sydney to Perth.
Medical cannabis clinics that operate nationally
A medical cannabis clinic is a service built around the steps above, typically operating as a telehealth platform. Because there is no geographic barrier to the consultation, these clinics serve patients across the whole country.
We review several of the better-known services factually on this site. easykind and Alternaleaf are among the most established national platforms; CA Clinics and Australian Access Clinics offer structured clinic models alongside telehealth options; Polln is a telehealth-first service. On the production side, Cannatrek is one of the licensed Australian producers whose products move through the prescription pathway.
Those reviews describe how each service operates — process, fee structure, clinic model — without making any health claim. They are information pages about the prescription system, which is separate from the over-the-counter shop you are reading now.
What does medical cannabis cost in Australia?
Medical cannabis costs break into two categories, and they are invoiced separately.
The consultation fee is charged by the clinic or doctor and varies from one service to another. Some clinics offer reduced rates for concession card holders; others charge a flat fee for the initial consultation and a lower follow-up rate. The clinic's own pricing pages are the reliable source.
The product cost is set by the pharmacy and varies by the specific product prescribed, the quantity and the formulation. Medical cannabis products are generally not included on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), so they are typically paid out of pocket. A ballpark figure is not something we quote as representative — each prescription is different.
It is also worth knowing that the consultation and the product cost are independent: you may pay for a consultation and learn that a prescription is not appropriate for you. That clinical outcome belongs to the doctor.
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Prescription medical cannabis and over-the-counter CBD oil are two separate things
This distinction matters, and it is worth being precise about it.
Prescription medical cannabis is accessed through the pathway above: a registered doctor, a TGA application, a pharmacy dispensing. Products in this category can include THC as well as CBD and are issued under medical oversight.
Over-the-counter CBD oil is a different product category under a different regulatory layer. In 2021, the TGA reclassified low-dose cannabidiol (up to 150mg per day) from a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacist-only medicine. In practice, no product meeting that exact specification has yet been listed on the register for pharmacist supply, so the over-the-counter route in Australia currently means purchasing hemp-derived CBD oil described by its composition — available online from CBD Oil Australia.
The two routes do not substitute for one another. A prescription from a doctor is the route to a prescribed medical cannabis product. An online CBD oil shop is the route to an over-the-counter hemp-derived cannabidiol oil. Neither replaces the other, and we do not present our products as an alternative to the medical pathway.
Buying over-the-counter CBD oil in Australia
If hemp-derived CBD oil — no clinic, no consultation, no script — is what you are after, CBD Oil Australia is an online shop that ships Australia-wide, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Every product is described by what it contains, not by what it might do. The full-spectrum CBD oil is a whole-plant hemp extract that retains a legal trace of THC (under 0.3%). The broad-spectrum CBD oil removes the THC entirely while keeping the other hemp-plant compounds. For a single-cannabinoid option, the CBG oil is a cannabigerol extract and the CBN oil is a cannabinol isolate, both THC-free. There is also a CBD oil formulated for pets, described by composition only.
All oils are imported from EU Labs in Amsterdam, use a coconut-derived MCT carrier, and are third-party lab-tested by batch, with a Certificate of Analysis available on request. Prices start from $89.95 in Australian dollars. You can view the complete range and current prices online, and the guide to using CBD oil walks through how to read a label when your order arrives.
What to look for on a CBD oil label
Because over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD oil sits outside the prescription system, the label is the reference point for comparing products. A short checklist keeps any evaluation on composition rather than marketing language:
- Spectrum type — full-spectrum retains a legal trace of THC (under 0.3%); broad-spectrum removes it; an isolate is a single cannabinoid only. This is a compositional description.
- Cannabinoid strength — stated as milligrams of cannabinoid per bottle. Divide by volume (in ml) to get the per-dose concentration; a 1000mg oil in a 50ml bottle delivers 20mg per ml.
- Carrier oil — what the extract is suspended in. Our oils use coconut-derived MCT.
- THC content — stated on the label and confirmed in the Certificate of Analysis.
- Lab verification — third-party testing, batch-specific, with a Certificate of Analysis you can review before buying.
The CBD oil label guide covers all of this in more detail for anyone new to the product category.
Common questions about medical cannabis and CBD oil in Australia
What is the difference between medical cannabis and CBD oil? Medical cannabis is a prescription product accessed through a doctor, TGA approval and a pharmacy. CBD oil sold over the counter is a hemp-derived supplement described by its composition. They are governed by separate rules and neither substitutes for the other.
How does the medical cannabis pathway work across Australia? The pathway is national: you consult a doctor with TGA authorisation (often via telehealth), the doctor assesses your situation and, if appropriate, applies to the TGA under SAS Category B or the Authorised Prescriber scheme. An electronic prescription is then filled at a pharmacy. The same process applies whether you are in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide.
Can I consult a cannabis doctor online? Yes. Most medical cannabis clinics in Australia use a telehealth model, meaning the consultation happens by video or phone. Geographic location is not a barrier to accessing these services within Australia.
Do I need a prescription for over-the-counter CBD oil? No. Over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD oil from an online shop such as CBD Oil Australia is a separate product category that does not require a prescription. The two routes are independent.
How long does it take to get medical cannabis? The consultation with the doctor can be booked through a telehealth clinic and typically takes less than an hour. The TGA review of an SAS Category B application usually takes a few business days. Dispensing at a pharmacy follows once the prescription is issued. Total elapsed time varies by clinic and product availability. Over-the-counter CBD oil has no consultation step — an online order ships domestically.
Is medical cannabis covered by Medicare or the PBS? Medical cannabis products are generally not PBS-subsidised, meaning costs are usually out of pocket. Medicare coverage of the consultation fee depends on the practitioner and the service structure; individual clinics can advise on what applies to their model.
Where can I buy CBD oil in Australia without a prescription? Online, through an Australian shop. CBD Oil Australia ships hemp-derived CBD oil across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and the rest of Australia, described by composition and third-party lab-tested by batch.
Who regulates medical cannabis in Australia? The TGA — the Therapeutic Goods Administration — is the national regulator. Details of both the SAS Category B and Authorised Prescriber pathways are published on the TGA website.
If you are pursuing the prescription route, the medical pathway above — a registered doctor, a TGA application, a pharmacy — is how it works in Australia, wherever you are located. If you want over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD oil shipped within Australia, browse the full range from CBD Oil Australia, lab-tested and available now across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Our oils are for adults 18+ and are not for anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.
