Hi I noticed you had a post about Zenith clinics I recently had a run in with them as I was seeking medication.

They are a scam they take your money which was $29 for the initial consult which they say they will return it’s just a pending holding fee for the consult.

A “so called doctor gives you a call on zoom they prescribe you”.

After two weeks nothing happened I called several times and got the same person with a south African accent they keep on telling me they are waiting for TGA approval this goes on and on they say it sometimes takes a long time.

I was fed up so I called ******* scripts got a free appointment the next day she prescribed me and the TGA approval only took 48hrs and I have the product now already.

I am yet to hear back from Zenith clinic. It’s not the money as it was only $29 but it’s the deception they must be doing this to a lot of people who really need medicine. I wanted to send this as people need to be warned so they are to right decision.

Respectfully we’d disagree – this is what he told Cannabiz Australia

The Australian medical cannabis industry may have its challenges, but its focus on affordable access and patient care make it a role model for the rest of the world, says SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals chairman and CEO Michael Sassano. 

The Australian market has become one of only three significant global medical cannabis markets in the world.

Although all eyes are on the US potentially rescheduling the substance after Germany removed the narcotics label from cannabis medicines, the Australian market continues to expand faster than most because of the focus on what is best for patients and their experience.

Australia leads in cannabis choice and pricing

Doctor and patient relationships and freedom of choice for both parties help to form the foundation of a solid medical cannabis market. When the focus is on limiting access instead, problems arise.

For example, Israel only permits flower sales and limits other products, such as extracts. Germany’s market focuses on the magistral preparation of extracts with a minimal framework for different form factors like gel capsules or faster-acting excipients.

As another example, seniors in the US are a growing market that may consume cannabis in low dosages for arthritis. Their preferred administrative and dosage choice is a mild 1:50 gel capsule or edible format. With flower-only restrictions, they would have to roll a joint or use a smoking pipe instead. Massive market segments are being excluded from access because they simply don’t want to smoke.

Australia is far beyond other larger markets regarding choice with patients having close to 1,000 medical cannabis product choices. Giving options to doctors and patients is precisely what the cannabis-as-medicine movement has always been about, not a one-size-fits-all therapy program.

The country has also embraced lower consumer pricing, making daily medicine more affordable and accessible. All favourable consumer markets give patients ample choice and affordable pricing, providing access to everyday necessities.

Read the full article

When it comes to access, the rest of the world should follow Australia’s example

The Tapei Times

A farmer in Miaoli County faces prosecution after finding a packet of seeds by the roadside, which he took home and planted, only to find that they produced cannabis plants, police said.

Police on Thursday quoted the farmer, surnamed Yeh (葉), who is in his 50s, as saying that, in February, he found a packet of seeds on the ground next to a garbage bin on a rural road branching off Provincial Highway No. 3 near his farm in Miaoli’s Dahu Township (大湖).

He had always had an interest in cultivating plants, and as he was curious about the unidentified seeds, he took them home and planted some, Yeh said in a recorded statement to the police.

After three months, he found that three of the seeds had sprouted, but because the seedlings grew gradually he did not know what they were at first, Yeh said, adding that he later thought they looked like cannabis, but was still was unsure.

He asked the police to help him identify the plants, and when officers went to his home they found three healthy seedlings growing and a packet of about 800 seeds, which were identified as cannabis, police said.

The police said they confiscated the seedlings and the seeds, and took urine samples from Yeh, which came back clean.

A background check found that Yeh had no previous record of drug possession, but police said they had to follow procedure and took him to the Miaoli District Prosecutors’ Office for prosecution.

Cannabis is classified as a Category 2 narcotic under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例), so Yeh must be prosecuted as he had planted the seeds and was in possession of cannabis plants, police said.

As Yeh reported the plants and seeds to the police he can expect a lesser sentence for unknowingly contravening the law, police said.

Earlier last week, police in Chiayi County conducted a raid in Fanlu Township (番路) and found cannabis oil products and pouches of “narcotic coffee powder” and tools for packaging.

A further search uncovered assorted narcotics inside a large polystyrene box labeled as fresh seafood and 20 packets of white powder, which turned out to be 7.3kg of heroin.

Police said it was one of the largest hauls of heroin found in Taiwan recently.

Testing found that the box contained one packet of amphetamine, 82 bottles of cannabis oil for vaping, one box of cannabis chocolates and nine pouches of mephedrone, police said.

Overall, judicial investigators estimated that the drugs seized had a street value of NT$40 million (US$1.26 million).

The house was rented by a man surnamed Tsai (蔡), who now faces prosecution.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/08/28/2003805402