The authority under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 (NSW) from the NSW Ministry of Health (also referred to as a ‘permit’ in other jurisdictions) is legally required by a medical practitioner or nurse/midwife practitioner to prescribe or supply a drug of addiction in certain circumstances.

Any drug of addiction for a drug dependent person

To prescribe or supply a drug of addiction to a drug dependent person, including a cannabis medicine or an opioid in Schedule 8, a NSW authority is required.

A drug dependent person defined under section 27 of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 (NSW) means a person who has acquired, as a result of repeated administration of:

• a drug of addiction, or
• a prohibited drug within the meaning of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985,

an overpowering desire for the continued administration of such a drug.

Drugs of addiction for more than two months

An authority from the NSW Ministry of Health is required to prescribe or supply drugs of addiction for non drug dependent persons for continuous or ongoing treatment of more than two months for any of the following:

• any drug of addiction intended for administration by injection
• any drug of addiction for inhalation, or for spray or application to mucous membranes
• alprazolam
• flunitrazepam
• buprenorphine (except transdermal preparations)
• dextromoramide
• hydromorphone
• methadone

Psychostimulants and unregistered drugs of addiction

Psychostimulants such as dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine), methylphenidate, and lisdexamfetamine and any Schedule 8 when extemporaneously compounded (unregistered drug of addiction) for a particular person for therapeutic application to that person, may be prescribed or supplied only with the prior written authority of the NSW Ministry of Health.