“When the Queensland Dolphins ran onto the field in mid-April 2024, the rugby league team’s jerseys bore the logo of Alternaleaf – a 'plant medicine' clinic.”

“Earlier that week, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) had commenced Federal Court proceedings against Alternaleaf’s parent company, alleging 226 other advertising offences.”

“By the next game, players had taped over the logo.”

“Advertising prescription medicines directly to consumers in Australia is prohibited – including on football jerseys, websites, social media, and on posters or banners.”

“Any promotion of medicinal cannabis products to the public – including euphemisms such as 'plant medicine' – is also a breach.”

“A 2025 study analysed 54 Australian medicinal cannabis provider websites. The authors found nearly half were violating at least two TGA guidelines.”

“Common violations included using cannabis imagery, unsubstantiated health claims, and patient testimonials.”

“Researchers also identified self-assessment tools that may 'coach' patients on qualifying conditions – with some clinics positioning access as fast and hassle-free.”

“One company ran more than 170 social media ads in a single month, many reaching users as young as 18.”

“Since 2023, the TGA has issued more than A$2.3 million in fines for medicinal cannabis advertising breaches. It has commenced three Federal Court proceedings. None have yet resulted in a judgement.”

“Australia has become one of the world’s largest markets for medicinal cannabis. In the first half of 2024 alone, Australians spent more than $400 million on these products.”

“The organisations cited Ahpra data showing one pharmacist had dispensed 959,000 cannabis products in a single year.”

“Ahpra told the ABC it had taken action against 57 practitioners and is investigating 60 more. Concerns include consultation times of between 'a few seconds and a few minutes'. Some prescribers wrote more than 10,000 scripts in six months.”

“The agency and the TGA are now sharing prescribing data to identify outliers – even without receiving complaints.”

“Among their concerns were 'vertically integrated' cannabis clinics – where the telehealth prescriber sends the script to a dispensary owned by the same company – hasty telehealth consultations, and how medicinal cannabis was promoted.”

“In July 2025, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) said it was concerned about emerging business models that appear to use 'aggressive and sometimes misleading advertising' to target vulnerable people.”

“The TGA is a small agency that assesses alleged breaches according to the risk they pose. This means first-time or low-level breaches often only attract a warning known as a 'regulatory obligations letter'.”

“Organisations representing GPs, other doctors and pharmacists wrote jointly to the health minister in New South Wales calling for a crackdown on rogue medicinal cannabis prescribing.”

“Medicinal cannabis prescriptions have skyrocketed in Australia, mostly for legal but unapproved products we don’t even know work or are safe.”

“In the medicinal cannabis sector, that approach appears to have been exploited. Widespread, repeat breaches suggest some operators have concluded the risk of a warning is worth taking.”