Shortage of cannabis oil, Australian parents turn to the black market

A global shortage of cannabis oil, used to treat patients with epilepsy, is forcing some Australian parents to turn to the black market, according to the WA Today.

While the cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating component of cannabis, has been approved for a medical cannabis trial, yet it is virtually impossible to find suppliers in CBD oil in Australia.

According to WA Today, the Executive Director of the Epilepsy Association of Western Australia stated that one-third of the 24,500 people with epilepsy in Western Australia are children. Of these, approximately 1,000 children may be treated by their parents using marijuana obtained illegally.

High prices are also a problem for patients in the United States

Patients who can obtain cannabis oil also face another obstacle: the high price of CBD capsules.

The high price of CBD has led some patients and parents to turn to the black market and buy their treatment in the United States, as reported by The Cannabist.

Since U.S. insurance companies do not cover medical cannabis, some patients simply cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on CBD at dispensaries. CBD is cheaper on the street, so that’s where they get it.