Australian Medical Cannabis Users Describe Easy Access But High Costs | Research

The takeaway

Interviews with 15 Australian medicinal cannabis users found telehealth has made access easy, but cost remains a major barrier, and many use cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes.

Medical cannabis patients, healthcare policymakers, Australian cannabis program evaluators, and international observers of cannabis regulation.

What the researchers found

Medicinal cannabis users reported diverse motivations including managing treatment-resistant conditions and avoiding legal consequences of illicit use. Access was described as straightforward through telehealth and dispensaries. Key barriers were financial (high cost) and product frustration (receiving oil prescriptions when flower was preferred). Dual medical-recreational use was common.

Why it matters

As more countries develop medical cannabis programs, Australia's experience offers lessons. Easy telehealth access is a success, but the cost barrier and dual-use patterns raise questions about who benefits and how programs should be designed.

The numbers in context

15 participants interviewed at 2 cannabis events. Access described as straightforward via telehealth. Key themes: diverse motivations (treatment-resistant conditions, avoiding legal risk) and access journeys (telehealth, dispensaries, cost barriers). Dual recreational-medical use reported. Limited product/dose knowledge among users.

How the study worked

Brief semi-structured interviews with 15 adults self-reporting medicinal cannabis use in the past 12 months, recruited at two cannabis events in Queensland and New South Wales. Thematic analysis using Braun and Clarke's six-step framework identified two themes: diverse drivers and access journeys.

What this study cannot tell us

Very small sample (15 participants). Recruited at cannabis events (not representative). Brief interviews limited depth. Single country context. Self-selected participants likely more engaged with cannabis culture.

How to read the evidence

Small qualitative study from a single country — provides rich individual perspectives but cannot be generalized.

When this study was published

Published in 2026, reflecting Australia's evolving medical cannabis landscape since legalization in 2016.

The bigger picture

The finding that some users transitioned from recreational to medical partly for legal protection, combined with widespread dual use, challenges the clean separation between 'medical' and 'recreational' cannabis. This has implications for how medical cannabis programs are regulated and evaluated.

Questions still open

Should medical cannabis programs address dual use directly? How can costs be reduced while maintaining quality? Would insurance coverage or subsidies improve health equity in medical cannabis access?

Common questions

Is medical cannabis easy to get in Australia?

According to these users, yes — telehealth consultations and specialized dispensaries have made the prescription process straightforward. However, high product costs remain a significant barrier for many patients.

Do medical cannabis users also use recreationally?

Many do. This study found dual use was common, with some users transitioning from recreational to medical partly to avoid legal consequences. This blurring of categories has implications for how programs are designed and regulated.

Read the original research

Motivations and Pathways: A Thematic Analysis of Interviews with Medicinal Cannabis Consumers in Australia.

Substance use & misuse, 61(4), 638-642

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Dawson, Danielle; Stjepanović, Daniel; McClure-Thomas, Caitlin; Lorenzetti, Valentina; Hall, Wayne; Sun, Tianze; Leung, Janni. (2026). Motivations and Pathways: A Thematic Analysis of Interviews with Medicinal Cannabis Consumers in Australia.. Substance use & misuse, 61(4), 638-642. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2560074