Swinburne University of Technology has embarked on a groundbreaking five-year investigation into medicinal cannabis, supported by a $688,000 grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Led by psychopharmacologist Dr. Thomas Arkell, the study aims to address critical gaps in Australia’s medicinal cannabis framework and its applications.

The research will focus on three key areas: road safety implications for patients using medicinal cannabis, identifying shortcomings in the prescribing model, and evaluating its efficacy in managing chronic pain. Dr. Arkell emphasized the need for evidence-based policies, stating, “Medical cannabis shows a lot of therapeutic potential… but our understanding of how cannabis can best be used as a medicine is still in its infancy.”

Announced by Health Minister Mark Butler, this project is part of a broader $422 million investment under the NHMRC’s investigator grants scheme. For more details, visit Cannabiz.