It's unclear whether people will be able to go to their GP for medicinal cannabis when it's due to become more widely available next year.
Law allowing for a medicinal cannabis regime was passed last year and yesterday the Ministry of Health published a list of proposed regulations covering cultivation, licensing, manufacture and supply.
It's recommending doctors will need sign-off from a specialist to prescribe most cannabis drugs.
Medicinal cannabis advocates say that could be a problem given the shortage of specialists in areas such as chronic pain, for which cannabis is expected to prove popular.
The Health Minister, David Clark, speaks to Philippa Tolley.
