15 June 2023
Mr McDonald
[FYI request #22835 email]
Tēnā koe Mr McDonald
Official information request HNZ00019695
Thank you for your request for information on 17 May 2023 asking for the following which
has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act). Please see outlined
below a response to your request.
“Q. How many patients have been prescribed medicinal cannabis since the start of the legal
medicinal cannabis scheme?
Q. How many prescriptions have been written for medicinal cannabis since the start of the
medicinal cannabis scheme?
Q. What is the average amount of cannabis prescribed per doctor's prescription? Please
provide your answer in units detailing quantity and strength.
Please refer to
Appendix one which provides a response to questions 1 and 2.
In order to provide a response to question 3, Te Whatu Ora would need to review all of the items
prescribed, by prescriber, the dosage and quantity of each and every script and do an average. This
would require significant time and effort, and the diversion of personnel from their core duties. The
diversion of these resources would impair Te Whatu Ora’s ability to carry out our other core functions.
As such, your request is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, requires substantial collation.
I have considered whether fixing a charge for the supply of the information or extending the
timeframe for response would enable Te Whatu Ora to respond. I do not consider that either option
would remove the impact that supplying the information would have on our other operations.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[Health New Zealand request email].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Te Whatu Ora may
proactively release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your name
and contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Gaynor Bradfield
Manager
Office of the Chief Data and Digital
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Te Whatu Ora, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand