University home

Current students

Skip to main content

Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics

medicinal cannabis and medicinal marijuana, plant being held in a hand

Pioneering medical research

Alleviating human suffering with medicinal cannabis Find out how

Centres and institutes_

Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics

Advancing cannabinoid-based treatments in mainstream medicine

The Lambert Initiative was created when Barry and Joy Lambert made a $33.7 million donation for research into the therapeutic use of medicinal cannabis.

The Lambert initiative is an Australian first in the field of medicinal cannabinoids. We are targeting a range of conditions including paediatric epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, neurological, and mental health disorders.

Our aim is to optimise safe and effective cannabinoid therapeutics into mainstream medicine in Australia and beyond to deliver long overdue benefits for patients and to alleviate suffering.

Updates

Backyard medicinal cannabis crops eyed for university study | ABC News

26 September 2022

"Patrick says that the ability to test his cannabis would have meant better home treatment for his wife."

ABC News features The Lambert Initiative's landmark CAN-ACT survey, alongside important patient perspectives.

We are still accepting submissions to the CAN-ACT survey. We are calling all cannabis cultivators from Canberra and ACT to complete a short survey and submit their home-grown crop for analysis.

Find out more about this study by clicking here.

Latest news

06 February 2023

Limited evidence that cannabis ‘hangover’ blunts performance

The first systematic review examining the phenomenon of a 'next day' hangover caused by cannabis has found scant evidence impairment exists hours after consumption.

30 January 2023

New trial uses cannabis for spinal cord injury induced chronic pain

Scientists at the University of Sydney have been awarded $1.7 million from NSW Health to research a new treatment for chronic pain which commonly affects people with spinal cord injuries.

16 December 2022

Medical cannabis treating at least 2.7 percent of population

An estimated 600,000 Australians are using medical cannabis - but that's according to data from 2019. Considering the dramatic increase in the number of doctors registering to prescribe in the past two years, and the rapid growth of applications for prescriptions, the figure today is likely to be much higher.

15 September 2022

a man holding a cannabis leaf

Free cannabis testing for ACT home-growers

A study will examine home-grown cannabis in the Australian Capital Territory for medicinal and non/medicinal purposes. The goal is to investigate cannabis consumption, behaviours and attitudes among users.

Medicinal cannabis prescription

Legal use of medicinal cannabis on the rise

New research from the University of Sydney's Lambert Initiative finds most Australians are still medicating with illicit cannabis, although numbers accessing prescription products have risen dramatically.

Woman ingesting CBD oil

Very high doses of cannabis component CBD don't affect driving

University of Sydney-led research finds that 1500mg, the highest daily medicinal dose of cannabidiol (CBD), has no impact on people's driving or cognitive abilities.

World-first trial to examine whether cannabidiol could make chronic pain sufferers more comfortable

The 20-week trial, now underway, involves participants taking either CBD or a placebo, then undergoing blood tests, MRIs and EEG scans to see if the treatment improves pain.

Medical cannabis users call for change to driving rules

"Patients want relief from their pain, arthritis, or anxiety. When you're trying to correct a medical problem, there's an argument your driving may actually improve." The Lambert Initiative provides expert advice on cannabis and driving for Nine's A Current Affair Program, 24 September 2022.

Australian approval of MDMA and psilocybin a ‘baby step in the right direction’, medical experts say

PhD Candidate Sarah-Catherine Rodan comments on the recent down-scheduling of MDMA and psilocybin. 4 February 2023, The Guardian.

Buying legal marijuana is as easy as picking up the phone. Here’s how I did it.

The Lambert Initiative is featured in The Sydney Morning Herald. Academic Director Prof Iain McGregor discusses medical cannabis accessibility together with community and industry leaders Lucy Haslam and Rhys Cohen, and important patient and prescriber perspectives. 28 September 2022.

Quick resources

Medicinal cannabis: what you need to know

Information and resources for prescribers and consumers by the National Prescribing Service.

Cannabis and Driving: What are the facts?

These factsheets were released by The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic (ICADTS) and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation to help inform policy makers. This is especially pertinent considering that drug driving laws are currently under review (as of Sep 2022) in Queensland, Australia.

We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to those who have cared and continue to care for Country.