Medicinal cannabis stigmatised 'even within the medical community', doctor says

The Cannabis Clinic is calling for more education around medicinal cannabis.

Research has found that 65 percent of New Zealanders believe there is stigma, according to chief executive Waseem Alzaher.

He told RNZ that improving understanding is critical to helping more patients access safe, informed care.

"We did a survey of 1000 patients last year, and we found that 65 percent of those respondents still feel that stigma was associated with medicinal cannabis," he said.

"We're here to address that stigma by providing a professional service - and kudos to our doctors and clinical team who have put their head above water to talk about an issue which is stigmatised even within the medical community - to put it in the hands of Kiwis, to make sure that people who do benefit from it, who are suffering and have reduced quality of life, or who are accessing cannabis illegally and carrying that burden on their back, thinking, 'Oh, my God, I'm doing something illegal,' have a place that they can come in and have that conversation."

Alzaher said medicinal cannabis was like any other medicine, but that stigma remained a barrier for some people.

"It has its right time, place, person, dose - and anything, including non-pharmaceuticals, have risks of adverse effects - so let's not take cannabis outside of that perspective.

"Let's treat it like it is, which in New Zealand is a prescribable medicine, and treat it accordingly.

"It's no different to any other medicinal product.

"Kiwis don't have to hide and use cannabis illegally behind closed doors."

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.