More than a third of chronic pain patients have asked a GP about medical cannabis as a treatment option, but many say they’ve faced reluctance, survey results show.

Doctors typically cite cost and a lack of knowledge about how to access the treatment as the main reasons for their negativity, according to a nationwide poll conducted by Chronic Pain Australia.

The not-for-profit, non-government organisation interviewed 2233 Australians in June about their health experiences over the previous 12 months and found 39% had asked a GP about medicinal cannabis.

The number of medicinal cannabis prescriptions has surged 300% across Australia in the past year, CPA said.