Some doctors are frustrated about ongoing barriers to medicinal cannabis - including cost and awareness

Te Whatu Ora data shows since the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme came into effect in April 2020 and this April, there were 75-thousand-508 medicinal cannabis prescriptions issued.

Those figures don't make it clear whether a product's been dispensed.

Cannabis Clinic founder Dr Waseem Alzaher says the figures are lower than he'd expect - because people still aren't aware its an option.

He says it's a challenge getting people to know they can go from the illegal, black-market, to legal cannabis prescribed under the care of a doctor.