The amended Schedule 9 and new Schedule 8 entries complement recent amendments to the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 made by the Narcotic Drugs Amendment Act 2016(link is external) and aim to make available for the first time in Australia medicinal cannabis products for patients who qualify, while retaining appropriate controls to prevent such products from being diverted to illicit uses.
When will the scheduling changes take effect?
The scheduling changes take effect in November 2016, when the new Poisons Standard (a legislative instrument) is published and include the amended and new entries for cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinols. The changes in the Poisons standard are then adopted through state and territory government legislation.
