THE first cannabis clinic in Queensland was launched today but not everyone will be able to afford its treatment.

Cannabis Access Clinic opened its first office in the Brisbane suburb of Belmont today after also opening clinics in Sydney and Melbourne.

The private clinic charges an out-of-pocket fee of $300 for an initial consultation, which includes an application to the government for approval. It can take up to four weeks for this to come through.

Before going to the clinic, potential patients will have to get a referral from their GP or specialist who feels they may benefit from treatment.

It does not take walk-in appointments, and only sees patients who have exhausted all conventional therapies for their condition and are likely to be clinically assessed as suitable.

The clinics works with patients who have conditions including chronic pain (including cancer pain), chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer (CINV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, anxiety, sleep disorders, PTSD and other conditions.

“We are pleased to be able to extend our clinic network to Queensland,” Cannabis Access Clinics medical director Dr Sanjay Nijhawan said.

“The Queensland Department of Health has worked hard to streamline regulations and make access to treatment easier for patients in need.”