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Veteran prescribed 'ghastly' cannabis doses by for-profit health company, investigation finds

A Four Corners investigation reveals aggressive targeting of veterans by companies offering DVA-funded medicinal cannabis

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
A Four Corners investigation has found that some for-profit health companies are aggressively targeting Australian veterans through advertising and phone calls, offering 'free' DVA-funded treatments. In one case, a veteran was prescribed up to 1,220mg of THC per day — a dose described by medical experts as 'ghastly' — without ever speaking to the prescribing doctor.

Steve Johnstone, a former army medic who served in Afghanistan, was struggling with PTSD, chronic pain and a history of substance abuse when he saw an online ad from VeteranCann promising 'free natural health'. After a phone call with a company nurse, he was quickly referred to a pain specialist for a DVA-funded consultation — the only doctor he spoke to.

Less than a month later, his prescribing doctor applied to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) to increase his dose from 25mg of THC per day to 1,220mg without ever consulting him. Three experienced medicinal cannabis prescribers told Four Corners that 1,220mg a day was unacceptable and far beyond anything they had ever seen prescribed.

Melbourne GP and associate professor Vicki Kotsirilos described the dose as 'ghastly', adding that there was a 'real concern with looking after patients with histories of substance abuse and chronic pain without seeing the patient'.

By April this year, Steve was admitted to a psychiatric ward for veterans, paranoid, suicidal and unable to sleep. He said his regular doctors were 'gobsmacked' when they learned how much cannabis he had been prescribed.

'They just couldn't understand how I was functioning,' he said. He was barely functioning.

The investigation found that DVA was paying thousands of dollars for two for-profit companies to provide Steve with what was meant to be the best care, but instead he was sent huge quantities of high-THC cannabis by doctors he never spoke to over nearly two years.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The investigation raises serious questions about the safety of DVA-funded medicinal cannabis programs when for-profit companies are involved in prescribing.
  • Veterans with complex health needs, including substance abuse histories, are being targeted with high-dose treatments without proper clinical oversight.
  • The case highlights potential gaps in DVA's approval processes and the need for stronger safeguards for vulnerable patients.

Background

The Department of Veterans' Affairs provides funding for a range of medical treatments for veterans with accepted service-related conditions. In recent years, medicinal cannabis has become an option, with some private companies specialising in telehealth consultations and direct-to-patient marketing. The Four Corners investigation examined how these for-profit providers operate, including their advertising practices and the extent of medical supervision.

Key Perspectives

Veterans and patient advocates: Veterans need access to effective treatments, but the process must involve genuine medical consultation and cautious prescribing, especially for those with substance abuse issues. For-profit health companies: Companies like VeteranCann argue they are providing a service that is DVA-approved and funded, offering veterans access to treatments that might otherwise be difficult to obtain. Medical professionals and critics: The prescribing of such high doses without direct contact is indefensible. Doctors who prescribe at these levels risk harming patients and undermining trust in medicinal cannabis as a legitimate therapy.

What to Watch

  • Whether DVA reviews its funding arrangements with for-profit cannabis providers.
  • Any regulatory action by the Medical Board of Australia or the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
  • Potential legal action or complaints from affected veterans.

Sources

Zotpaper

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