{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T01:40:43Z","timestamp":1782351643285,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":72,"publisher":"Korean Epilepsy Society","issue":"1","funder":[{"name":"The University of Sydney Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics"},{"name":"Australian National Health and Medical Research Council"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["j-epilepsy.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Epilepsy Res"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Purpose: Epilepsy is a common indication for medicinal cannabis (MC) prescription in Australia. Despite legal MC products being available for 8 years, some individuals continue to rely on illicit cannabis. Here, we conducted a survey of Australian persons\/people with epilepsy (PWE) and caregivers of a PWE to assess whether the current legal framework supports PWE and\/or their caregivers to access prescribed MC.Methods: The cross-sectional survey consisted of five sections examining sociodemographics, medical history, history of MC use, attitudes towards MC, and barriers to accessing MC.Results: Of the 126 respondents included in these analyses, 102 were PWE (mean age, 40.9\u00b112.3 years) and 24 were caregivers of a PWE (mean age of PWE, 14.1\u00b18.9 years). Among PWE, 27.5% (28\/102) had only used illicit MC products, 27.5% (28\/102) had transitioned to prescribed MC products, and 16.7% (17\/102) used both. Most caregivers 70.8% (17\/24) had only accessed prescribed MC products. Most respondents 77.0% (97\/126) reported using MC as an adjunct to conventional anti-seizure medications. Caregivers were more likely to administer prescribed high-cannabidiol products to children using oral routes of administration (p&lt;0.001). In contrast, PWE often used inhaled cannabis (p&lt;0.001). Overall, 67.0% (83\/124) of respondents reported that MC \u201cimproved\u201d or \u201cgreatly improved\u201d their epilepsy, irrespective of MC type. The main barrier to accessing prescribed MC was \u201ccost\u201d (69.0%, 87\/126), while tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-related driving restrictions were also a significant concern for PWE.Conclusions: The current regulatory framework in Australia supports MC access for PWE and their caregivers, primarily through cannabis clinics. However, cost remains a significant concern. The prevalent use of \u03949-THC-containing and inhaled MC products, either illicit or prescribed, highlights the urgent need to further investigate their safety and efficacy in epilepsy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.14581\/jer.25006","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,10]],"date-time":"2025-06-10T23:31:17Z","timestamp":1749598277000},"page":"56-69","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.14581\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Use of Medicinal Cannabis for Epilepsy in the Australian Community 2023-2024: A Cross-Sectional Survey"],"prefix":"10.14581","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Douglas A.D.","family":"Skene","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Iain S.","family":"McGregor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"Todd","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anastasia","family":"Suraev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"5688","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000503831"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/cshperspect.a022426"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ph3072090"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/s0140-6736(18)32596-0"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/s1474-4422(15)00225-2"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2022.3880"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/s1092852900008464"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clineuro.2023.107638"},{"key":"ref9","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Epilepsy and cannabidiol: a guide to treatment","author":"Arzimanoglou","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref10","first-page":"201","volume-title":"Cannabis for pediatric and adult epilepsy","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18773\/austprescr.2020.080"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/nejmoa1611618"},{"key":"ref13","first-page":"1085","volume-title":"Cannabidiol in patients with seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (GWPCARE4): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial","author":"Thiele","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.14581\/jer.17012"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s40263-018-0578-5"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1586\/14737175.2014.985209"},{"key":"ref17","first-page":"381","volume-title":"Cannabinoids in the treatment of epilepsy: current status and future prospects","author":"Morano","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/life12050682"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annonc.2020.07.020"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/evidoa2300012"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ph13090219"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acschemneuro.8b00651"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/jneurosci.4171-12.2013"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2019.00716"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/cjn.2021.151"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s13181-022-00886-3"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/a-2002-2119"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/acn3.51537"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00431-021-04202-z"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yebeh.2017.02.005"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-28127-0"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yebeh.2015.02.043"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/bph.15661"},{"key":"ref34","first-page":"4261","volume-title":"Interactions between cannabidiol and \n -tetrahydrocannabinol in modulating seizure susceptibility and survival in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome","author":"Anderson","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/epi.16355"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/11782218231172054"},{"key":"ref37","volume-title":"","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref38","volume-title":"","author":"Brook","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref39","volume-title":"","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref40","volume-title":"","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.18773\/austprescr.2020.052"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5694\/mja17.01247"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12954-020-00377-0"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12954-022-00666-w"},{"key":"ref45","volume-title":"","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref46","volume-title":"","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmpt.2003.11.003"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2019.103208"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2008.08.010"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00220973.1995.9943797"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yebeh.2019.106635"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seizure.2016.01.004"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12954-024-00992-1"},{"key":"ref54","volume-title":"","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref55","volume-title":"","author":"Brown","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref56","volume-title":"","author":"Brown","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref57","volume-title":"Freshleaf Analytics","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref58","volume-title":"","author":"Ng","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref59","volume-title":"","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2022.885655"},{"key":"ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2019.00595"},{"key":"ref62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/can.2020.0073"},{"key":"ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejim.2018.01.004"},{"key":"ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2023.12522"},{"key":"ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2023.1142680"},{"key":"ref66","volume-title":"","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2021.103307"},{"key":"ref68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aap.2020.105784"},{"key":"ref69","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11648\/j.ajtas.20160501.11"},{"key":"ref70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000312871"},{"key":"ref71","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0290549"},{"key":"ref72","first-page":"224","volume-title":"","author":"Myors","year":"2010"}],"container-title":["Journal of Epilepsy Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/j-epilepsy.org\/upload\/jer-25006.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/j-epilepsy.org\/journal\/view.php?doi=10.14581\/jer.25006","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/j-epilepsy.org\/upload\/jer-25006.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T05:35:30Z","timestamp":1750224930000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/j-epilepsy.org\/journal\/view.php?doi=10.14581\/jer.25006"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,10]]},"references-count":72,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,28]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.14581\/jer.25006","relation":{},"ISSN":["2233-6249","2233-6257"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2233-6249","type":"print"},{"value":"2233-6257","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,10]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2024-10-01","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2024-12-05","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-06-10","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}