A Senate inquiry into barriers facing patients in accessing medicinal cannabis aims to examine, among many things, existing regulations; how suitable the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is for subsidising access to products; and the education of doctors in relation to treatments.

The inquiry has already heard from a number of Tasmanians - a state where access to medicinal cannabis is regulated by a controlled access scheme.

However, since its introduction in 2017, only around a handful of patients have actually been granted access to unregistered cannabinoid products.

This begs the question - how many others are resorting to unregulated, illegal measures as a means of treatment?

The Tasmanian Government did not make a formal submission to the inquiry, but says it will continue to collaborate with the Commonwealth to ensure access to these "unproven" products is safe and consistent with high-quality evidence-based clinical guidelines.

Meanwhile, medicinal cannabis advocates such as Cannabis Awareness Tasmania claim the system is failing patients "at the most basic levels", with those trying to access relevant specialists waiting up to 12 months - a common story in the state's ailing health system.

And let's not forget the cohort of patients living in rural and remote areas and those who are financially disadvantaged. They will no doubt be hit the hardest.

The impact on the mental and physical wellbeing for those struggling to access medicinal cannabis needs to be a priority of the inquiry.

With the freedom of choice among the most vital basic human right, let's hope this leads to real solutions and improvements to a system that might be working for some, but is still clearly failing many.