The first medicinal cannabis clinic has opened on the Gold Coast and the cousins behind it and stoked about its future

THE first medicinal cannabis clinic has opened on the Gold Coast. But only five conditions qualify for prescriptions.

THE first Gold Coast medicinal cannabis clinic is open and already helping more than 15 patients.

But if you expect to just pop into Medical On Miami to get high on the doctors’ supply, think again.

Cousins, Dr Matua Jansen and Dr Ben Jansen say the product doesn’t have the concentration of the THC drug recreational cannabis smokers are chasing and you need to be sick for a prescription.

The pair opened the medicinal cannabis clinic on the Gold Coast at Medical On Miami a month ago.

It comes after Queensland legalised medicinal cannabis in March last year.

And while the clinic is new, the cousins started their pot patient care business Cannabis Doctors Australia in 2016.

“We founded the company with the goal to help patients who wanted to try medicinal cannabis in replacement of opioids and other drugs,” Dr Matua Jansen said.

In 2016 their partner company Burleigh Heads Cannabis secured a wholesaler licence and began distributing products to pharmacies under the direction of doctors.

But the goal was to always establish a clinic where they could treat patients themselves and Dr Ben Jansen was approved to prescribe medicinal cannabis.

“We have so far had more than 15 patients,” Dr Matua Jansen said.

“We hope to increase as people understand the legislation clearly and are educated on how they can use the medication.

“The important thing to note is that we make sure these medications are prescribed as a CBD high instead of THC – these substances have a non-psycho affect on patients unlike THC.”

Dr Matua Jansen said the products came in capsules, oils, crystals and the flower which most people associate with cannabis.

There are five conditions that can currently be treated with medicinal marijuana.

These are: chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's and terminally ill people.