There's a warning about how doctors should be prescribing medicinal cannabis should it become legal.

The Government implied yesterday it may loosen the rules around access to medicinal cannabis, and today it was confirmed patients seeking medical cannabis for pain relief will no longer need to get approval from a minister.

Earlier, AUT researcher Dr Huhana Hickey said Auckland has plenty of medical specialists who would gladly provide it. But she told Mike Hosking outside Auckland it's just about impossible to get help.

"There are areas in New Zealand where some GPs are opposed and other don't want to touch it or are afraid to speak out and support it, so there's still a bit of education needed," she said.

Dr Hickey said the Government needs to make sure the decision-makers and those who prescribe are well-informed.

"Politicians don't have that skill base, and I do think that we can have something similar to the morphine process that we have - you get the script from a specialist and then the GP prescribes. That's an ideal situation."

Dr Hickey added a large government subsidy would be needed if medicinal products were made legal.

LISTEN ABOVE AS DR HUHANA HICKEY SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING