How Is Medicinal Cannabis Administered?

Medicinal cannabis products are becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Initially, this medication was administered almost entirely via nasal spray, however things have come a long way since approval of Australian mainstream medicinal cannabis in 2016.

Products range from nasal sprays to oils, to dried herb for inhalation, although the method of administration can be broken down in to two main categories:

  1. Oral

  2. Inhalation

Oral Administration

Oral administration involves medicinal cannabis product put into the mouth, which is then swallowed into the stomach, passed into the gut for intestinal absorption and partially metabolised by the liver before being put into the blood stream.

Enzymatic breakdown and partial absoption begins in the oral mucosa, with a very small amount of active medicinal cannabis metabolites passed directly in the blood stream.

The majority of active medicinal cannabis products are further broken down in the stomach and liver before being passed into the blood stream.

This route of administration leads to slightly delayed onset of activity, along with more gradual onset of action, as THC and CBD (along with other cannabis metabolites) have to be absorbed and metabolised in the gut and by the liver.

Oral spray is more readily absorbed in the oral mucosa, with quicker initial onset.

Oils are partially absorbed in the oral mucosa, but more prominantly pass through gut and liver when swallowed.

Edibles are primarily swallowed and are almost all passed through the gut and liver.

Inhalation Administration

Inhalation administration involves heating medicinal cannabis into a vapour and inhaling it into the lungs.

This allows rapid delivery of high dose medicinal cannabis products to the respiratory blood vessels, which facilitates rapid absorption of THC and CBD. This absorption bypasses liver metabolism and instead goes directly into the blood stream.

Inhalation administration leads to rapid onset of effect of higher dose THC/CBD, and can be beneficial for people whodesire immediate effect.

Inhalation administration is not the recommended method, as this can lead to acute and chronic lung damage.

People who inhale medicinal cannabis are at risk of COPD/emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma exacerbations.