The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) and the Illicit Drugs Reporting System (IDRS) are national drug monitoring systems intended to identify emerging trends of local and national concern in illicit drug use and markets. These systems form part of the broader Drug Trends program.

This bulletin utilises data collected from the 2024 IDRS and EDRS. In 2024, participants were asked about whether they had ever attempted to obtain a cannabis prescription but were unsuccessful, and if so, where they had sought a prescription and the reasons for their lack of success. 

Recommended citation

Chandrasena U, Peacock A, Sutherland R. Barriers to accessing prescription cannabis among two samples of people who regularly use drugs, nationally, 2024. Drug Trends Bulletin Series. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2025. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/104356, https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/30962.

Funding and copyright

Drug Trends is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Drug and Alcohol Program.

©NDARC, UNSW SYDNEY 2025
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• Barriers to accessing prescription cannabis among two samples of people who regularly use drugs, nationally, 2024