The health regulator approved more than 17,000 medicinal cannabis prescriptions in February, the fourth highest monthly total ever recorded.
The figure brings the combined January–February 2025 total of Special Access Scheme approvals to 33,520 — up 47% compared to the same two months in 2024 and 82% higher than the equivalent period in 2023.
Applications were lodged with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) by 911 prescribers, 56 more than in January.
THC-dominant products were the most commonly prescribed category in February, accounting for 52% of TGA-approved applications, a slight decline from 55% the month prior.
Category 3 medicines — which balance THC and CBD — and CBD-dominant Category 1 products each accounted for 17% of approvals.
Flower held its position as the leading dosage form through the SAS, making up nearly 40% of the 17,306 approvals, compared to 42% in January.
Oral solutions grew their share to 36% of approvals, up from 33.5% the previous month, while pastilles — which have experienced a rapid rise in recent months — held steady at 14%.
Consistent with historical patterns, chronic pain was the most common condition driving medicinal cannabis prescriptions, generating close to 42% of all approvals, followed by anxiety at 33%, sleep disorders at 14%, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at 2%.
A breakdown by state showed Victoria continuing to lead the country in successful applications, with doctors there responsible for 45% of approvals.
Queensland accounted for 35%, New South Wales for 15%, and Western Australia came in a distant fourth with less than 2%.
