Television interview with Minister Butler, Sunrise – 29 July 2025

NATALIE BARR, HOST: AFL coaching heavyweights Damien Hardwick and Alistair Clarkson have joined fresh calls to protect those who are prescribed medicinal cannabis from losing their jobs if they test positive for the drug at work. It follows a sharp rise in prescriptions, prescriptions, with almost two million cannabis scripts issued to Aussies since 2020. It's now prompted a fresh warning from our Federal Health Minister about unsafe practises in the industry. More, we're joined by Health Minister Mark Butler in Canberra. Good morning to you. So a single doctor has churned out 72,000 prescriptions to 10,000 patients in two years. Do numbers like that concern you?

MARK BUTLER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING: I'm still struggling to get my head around how you do it physically. They're deeply concerning. This is a product that's providing a lot of relief to a lot of people, medicinal cannabis, from kids with epilepsy right up to adults with really hard-to-treat mental health issues. But there are some business practices that have emerged that are, frankly, unsafe and certainly unscrupulous. I've asked the regulators to look at this and provide all health ministers, not just me, but the state ministers as well, with some advice about how to regulate this industry in a more safe way that will give patients confidence that they can take advantage of these new treatments in a safe way.

BARR: Okay, so you're definitely looking into it. Tell us, should workers on cannabis prescriptions be protected if they test positive at work?

BUTLER: I'm a very big believer that people should be protected in undergoing their medical treatment, particularly where that treatment is prescribed by their medical practitioner. Obviously, this is a new area. There are laws governing workplaces that were largely designed to deal with illegal use of recreational cannabis that was usually very high in the chemical THC. This is a different product. I know there's a debate happening down in Victoria about whether workplace health and safety laws there should be varied to deal with this new treatment. But the first principle must be people should be supported through their medical treatment. There will obviously be questions about using heavy equipment and the like, but I think it is time to have that debate about updating our laws.
 
BARR: Okay, moving on. We've been following this e-scooter situation in Australia very closely. We are seeing injuries daily. You would know about this. Sadly, a number of deaths as well. Our emergency rooms are being filled with these cases. This is becoming a health emergency. What are you doing about it?
 
BUTLER: This does need some regulation. It's one of those, new technologies that has just crept up on us. They are, in many areas, a menace. I see them in my own community, but they are putting real pressure on our healthcare system as well. It's another example of the need to keep laws up to date with new devices, new technology. This is one of those.
 
BARR: Okay, because we've got 500 e-bike riders in the past two years are going to emergency departments. It sounds like we need to do something about the e-bikes.
 
BUTLER: It's not just the bike riders themselves. They're causing injury to others. We saw a terrible case over the last few days about that. I think it is time that state governments looked at regulating these a little bit more firmly than, frankly, is done right now.
 
BARR: Okay, thank you. We'll keep on to that because we have so many complaints, especially from parents of young people on those e-bikes. Thank you very much, Health Minister Mark Butler.