Outlandish medicinal cannabis names are blurring the lines between medical and recreational use, and undermining the drug’s credibility as a therapeutic option, a cannabis company CEO warns.

Bioxyne CEO Sam Watson says product names like ‘Joker Juice’ or ‘Black Cherry Punch’, or bright packaging with pictures of aliens, need to be abandoned in a climate where many doctors already perceive cannabis prescribing as less than serious.

He told AusDoc the names probably caused cannabis prescribers “a bit of discomfort”.

“It’s like, ‘Hold on, I’ve done 15 years of training in a serious environment for controlled drugs with serious names and health implications. I don’t want to be prescribing something with a ridiculous name.’”