Over 600 adverse events linked to unapproved medicinal cannabis in Australia, including psychosis, suicidal thoughts, and child poisonings.

This week, the ABC reported that over 600 adverse effects have been reported to the pharmaceutical authority in three years as a result of Australians using unlicensed medicinal cannabis. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) informed ABC, following a Freedom of Information request, that 615 negative effects, officially referred to as adverse events, had been reported in the three years leading up to June 2025. These included 14 complaints of suicidal thoughts and actions, and over 50 cases of psychosis.

Adverse events are a risk associated with all medications. The same is true of cannabis medications. The majority of medicinal cannabis use in Australia involves unlicensed medicines, which makes it unusual. They are still legally accessible even though the TGA has not evaluated their efficacy, safety, or quality. In Australia, there are over 1,000 unapproved medical cannabis products on the market. People frequently use these for ailments for which there is little proof that they are effective.

The two “approved” medicinal cannabis products, on the other hand, require such proof from their suppliers or producers. In 2016, Australia legalized medicinal cannabis. However, when the TGA altered the way that consumers might obtain the unapproved products in 2021, use really took off. The fastest-growing use has been in young men. Typically, anxiety accounts for around one-third of use. This is true even though TGA guidelines state that individuals with a history of psychosis or an active mood or anxiety condition at the same time should not typically use medicinal cannabis that contains THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).