Doctors have “no reasonable justification” for prescribing medicinal cannabis that is 98% tetrahydrocannabinol, says the AMA, which wants these drugs suspended from the Special Access Scheme.

The AMA has used a TGA consultation on sharing Special Access Scheme data to demand a review of medicinal cannabis categories “and the complete removal of category 5 — products with a THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] content greater than 98% — while the review is conducted”.

“There is no reasonable justification for medicinal cannabis products to contain such a high percentage of THC, yet we understand it is the most frequently prescribed of the categories,” said the AMA submission, published last week.

More than 440,000 patients started category 5 medicinal cannabis between July and December 2024, AHPRA data show.