AHPRA Crackdown on cannabis

AHPRA’s recent investigation into the medicinal cannabis industry has finally pulled back the curtain on what many of us in clinical review have been raising alarms about for years — unsafe, unchecked, profit-driven prescribing.

The ABC recently reported that some prescribers issued more than 10,000 medicinal cannabis scripts in just six months, with consults lasting mere seconds, often with no assessment of mental health, no medication reconciliation, and no clinical justification.

These are not isolated incidents. We've seen the same patterns during our independent reviews:

• Claimants prescribed multiple THC-containing products with no clear indication.
• No communication with GPs, NTDs, or allied health providers.
• No treatment goals, no monitoring, and no plan to ever stop.
• Cases of psychosis, ED admissions, and cannabis-induced cognitive decline — all overlooked until damage was done.

And all of it funded by insurers.

Why IMM Stepped In This is precisely why Independent Med Management created the Medicinal Cannabis Management Program

We saw the pattern early — cannabis being added on top of existing high-risk meds like opioids, benzos, and antipsychotics, with zero coordination or deprescribing intent.

The IMM program enforces clinical structure:

• Clear treatment goals from day one.
• Review checkpoints at 6 and 12 weeks.
• A defined exit strategy if ineffective.
• Full medication reconciliation and cross-provider communication.
• Measurable outcomes on function, sleep, and medication reduction.

This program protects patients, gives doctors clarity, and gives insurers transparency on whether cannabis is helping, harming, or just coasting on funding inertia.

For Insurers: This Is Your Line in the Sand If you're funding medicinal cannabis without oversight, you're exposed — financially, clinically, and reputationally.

Now is the time to implement independent monitoring. Not later, not when a case escalates to crisis.

If a claimant is using cannabis, or you're being asked to fund it, get IMM involved first. We’ll determine if it’s appropriate, set clear goals, and ensure it's managed with clinical accountability.

For claimants already on cannabis, we’ll bring structure where none exists and ensure every product used is justified, tracked, and reassessed regularly.

Contact our team today to activate the Medicinal Cannabis Management Program or request a review of an existing case.

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