Medical Cannabis Effective but Expensive for New Zealanders

By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

Medical cannabis is very effective at relieving pain, improving sleep and reducing anxiety, according to researchers in New Zealand, who say government policies need to change to make cannabis cheaper and more accessible to Kiwis.

Researchers at the University of Otago, Victoria University and the University of Auckland surveyed and conducted interviews with 213 people who had prescriptions for cannabis under New Zealand’s medical cannabis program. Participants were asked about the quality of cannabis products they used and their effectiveness.

The study findings, published in the journal Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, show that nearly 96% reported that cannabis helped them with their medical conditions. Almost half (49%) said they were able to reduce or stop taking prescription drugs.

The most common therapeutic use of medical cannabis was pain relief and 96% of participants said it helped reduce their pain. Cannabis also helped users who had difficulty sleeping (97%) and those with mental health issues (98%).

Of the participants who took cannabis for other reasons, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and difficulty eating, 98% found cannabis helpful.

"An important finding of the study was that participants either decreased or stopped their use of prescribed medicines, many of which were opioid based," said co-author Geoff Noller, PhD, a Research Fellow at Otago University's Dunedin School of Medicine. "This both reinforces that they experienced some actual effect from using cannabis in that they ceased or decreased other medications with recognized efficacy, and in the case of many of these other medications, they reduced their use of potentially more problematic medications.

"There is a place for both approaches, with the results of this study suggesting that cannabis products could have a role in treating patients with chronic pain and other conditions refractory to treatment by conventional means."

But many New Zealanders find medical cannabis difficult to obtain and rely on the black market. A recent study by the NZ Drug Foundation estimated that while over a quarter of a million Kiwis use cannabis for medical reasons, only 6% -- about 17,000 people -- obtained cannabis with a prescription.

Many doctors won’t prescribe medical cannabis and there are a limited number of products on the market, keeping prices high. The Foundation said CBD oil can cost a patient $150-350 per month, with other cannabis products costing even more.

"At present, current regulations appear to be creating problems for many New Zealanders who otherwise report positive benefits from their use of medicinal cannabis,” says Noller. "Specific barriers include cost, with currently available medicinal cannabis products being too expensive for many New Zealanders due to the compliance costs of production imposed by regulations, and also the lack of knowledge about it for physicians, leading to a reluctance to prescribe, in many cases."

To obtain medical cannabis, New Zealanders need a prescription from a doctor that spells out what cannabis products can be used and the amount. Medical cannabis can only be obtained legally from a doctor or pharmacy, although many Kiwis use a “Green Fairy” – a person who provides cannabis for a nominal fee.