More and more people are turning to medicinal cannabis products, such as CBD oil for their ailments. But many are finding it unaffordable and sometimes that’s because of large mark-ups pharmacies are charging. National Correspondent Tony Wall reports.
Karen and Adam Jeffries got a shock when they saw the price on the box – $413 for a 25ml bottle of high-strength formulation Medleaf CBD oil.
They’d previously been using much more expensive cannabis products for their daughter, Zoe, who has cerebral palsy and other serious health problems. They’d been told that Medleaf, imported from Europe by a Kiwi company, was much cheaper.
CBD oil has given Zoe, 12, a hugely improved quality of life, reducing her seizures and allowing her to sleep.
READ MORE:
* Referendum result a blessing for medicinal cannabis industry
* Former Nelson pharmacy owners penalised $394,000 for price fixing
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/Stuff
Same product, different prices: one pharmacy appeared to charge 68 per cent more for Medleaf than the other, but the owner says it was a mistake.
Karen rang Pharmacy 44 in downtown Rotorua and asked if the price could be reduced. She was told no.
“I had so many battles I was dealing with at the time … I thought, ‘OK, I’m just going to look around.’”
That was in December last year – when the bottle ran out in February she went to another pharmacy and got exactly…
