Medicinal cannabis is prescribed under the provision of a controlled drug in the Australian Poisons Standard. However, multiple laws must be navigated in order for patients to obtain access and imported products can be expensive. Dose-response information for both efficacy and toxicity pertaining to medicinal cannabis is lacking.
The cannabis industry exists in a Wild West environment, where state law-abiding scientists and fringe characters operate
under a variety of conflicting regulations. This article describes that world and provides advice to formulators on the science of developing medicinal cannabinoid products.
Endocannabinoid pharmacology is now relatively well understood with a number of endocannabinoids and endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitters identified and the pharmacokinetics relatively well ascertained.