Part 1: On the fence between prescription and over-the-counter: why medicinal cannabis is a unique market segment

Introduction to the White Paper Series

Medicinal cannabis shares common characteristics with both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, making it a unique market segment with specific restrictions and complexities. Since the start of the new millennium, there has been an upturn in countries that have fully or partially de-criminalised or legalised medicinal cannabis on federal and/or regional levels. This has resulted in substantially new economic activity from what was previously an illegal trade. At present, there is no uniformity in the legalisation of medicinal cannabis across these countries. This creates complexities in a market which is somewhat burdened by limited yet growing clinical evidence. This is largely due to historical restrictions on cannabis research, and affected by concerns over the enforceability of medicinal cannabis patents. The white paper series aims to delve into these complexities by comparing the legalisation and commercialisation process of medicinal cannabis across selected countries.