New South Wales is providing the most direct access to medicinal cannabis.

The state is cutting regulations so that patients can get the new treatments within days of a doctor prescribing it.

Current regulations include an approval process between the states and the Therapeutic Goods Administration that leaves patients waiting months.

NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard said shortening that timeline would make an enormous difference for patients.

“When people have got that diagnosis of cancer and they are having the treatment, they are having the chemo, they obviously often feel very sick, nauseous, vomiting,” Mr Hazzard said.

“This will allow a very fast response to allow them to get access to what can be … certainly a medicine that can assist you with the nausea and the vomiting.

“It also can assist children who suffer fits from a range of illnesses.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Federal Government is working with all states to provide “direct and immediate access” to medicinal cannabis.

“Where the doctors say it is required, we'll make sure it is available in a matter of days,” he said.

Mr Hunt says the changes will come into effect soon.

“New South Wales is now the national leader — we have had tremendous discussions with Tasmania and Victoria, and so I am hopeful that will make progress with them very shortly — but the benchmark has been set here and this is about saving lives and protecting lives, it's about giving people the capacity to go through their treatments.”

The NSW Government is also setting up a new phone service to help boost cannabis prescriptions.

“NSW has a $6 million advisory service that we established just a few months ago, and what that enables doctors to do is make a phone call and find out how can medicinal cannabis possibly assist your patient,” Mr Hazzard said.