112 Advisory 115 committee Subject (Meeting to 2); price Consultations controls imposed 23 and by 24. the This Victorian risk exists Government, even for non-smokable discussed at [6.84]. forms (discussed below at [7.79] [7.83]: Consultation 23. – 113 The gap 116 between a This prescribed may not dose be of necessary the drug given and a the lethal much dose. lower risk of overdose for cannabis medications. 117 Set out in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006 (Vic) 35. That regulation requires, in essence, that such drugs be held in a lockable storage facility meeting minimum requirements, that the pharmacy take reasonable steps to ensure that it is locked at all times except when used, and that it is only used to store Schedule 8 and Schedule 9 poisons. More stringent security may be needed at the outset of the scheme because of the novelty of medicinal cannabis. 118 It appears that the sale, use and possession of such devices, which heat a liquid form of cannabis to a temperature at which the cannabinoids form a vapour which can be inhaled, is not currently prohibited in Victoria. The sale and display for sale of cannabis water pipes, hookahs and bong kits is prohibited by ss 80U–80X of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic), but the definition of water while it includes devices which allow the drawing of fumes from cannabis by heating, requires that this ‘cannabis pipe’, be done water or another liquid in the This does not occur with a vaporiser. Nonetheless, it may be prudent to explicitly ‘through device’. authorise their sale and display by pharmacists to ensure patients can continue to access them if restrictions are later introduced.
112 Advisory committee (Meeting 2); Consultations 23 and 24. This risk exists even for non-smokable forms (discussed below at [7.79] – [7.83]: Consultation 23. 113 The gap between a prescribed dose of the drug and a lethal dose. 115 Subject to price controls imposed by the Victorian Government, discussed at [6.84]. 116 This may not be necessary given the much lower risk of overdose for cannabis medications. 117 Set out in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006 (Vic) 35. That regulation requires, in essence, that such drugs be held in a lockable storage facility meeting minimum requirements, that the pharmacy take reasonable steps to ensure that it is locked at all times except when used, and that it is only used to store Schedule 8 and Schedule 9 poisons. More stringent security may be needed at the outset of the scheme because of the novelty of medicinal cannabis. 118 It appears that the sale, use and possession of such devices, which heat a liquid form of cannabis to a temperature at which the cannabinoids form a vapour which can be inhaled, is not currently prohibited in Victoria. The sale and display for sale of cannabis water pipes, hookahs and bong kits is prohibited by ss 80U–80X of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic), but the definition of ‘cannabis water pipe’, while it includes devices which allow the drawing of fumes from cannabis by heating, requires that this be done ‘through water or another liquid in the device’. This does not occur with a vaporiser. Nonetheless, it may be prudent to explicitly authorise their sale and display by pharmacists to ensure patients can continue to access them if restrictions are later introduced.
VLRC_Medicinal_Cannabis_Report_web.docx