PATIENT SUPPORT COMMUNITY RULES

These rules apply across the Patient Support website, forum and community. They exist to keep the space safe, useful and welcoming for everyone.

1. WE ARE INDEPENDENT

Patient Support is an independent, patient-led community.

We are not Medicann, and this website, forum and community are not operated, controlled or moderated by Medicann.

We may have relationships and agreements with Medicann and other organisations, but these do not change our independence.

Comments made by members do not represent Patient Support, Medicann, any clinic, pharmacy or healthcare professional.

2. RESPECT OTHER MEMBERS

Disagreement is fine. Bullying isn't.

No personal attacks, harassment, intimidation, discrimination, threats, deliberate humiliation or targeted behaviour.

We understand people may be tired, frustrated, grumpy, anxious or in pain. We've all typed something, pressed send and later thought, well... that could have been worded better. Shit happens.

Own it. Apologise. Move on.

A badly worded comment is one thing. Repeated, targeted or serious behaviour is another, and we will act accordingly.

3. DON'T RETALIATE. REPORT IT.

If another member posts something abusive, threatening or inappropriate, do not retaliate.

Report it and allow the admin team to deal with it.

Replying with more abuse usually turns one problem into two.

We operate a no-bullying policy and will take action where necessary.

4. MODERATION

Patient Support is overseen by a team of six admins who share responsibility for monitoring the community.

We aim to spot problems before they need reporting, but we cannot see everything.

Admins may remove content, issue warnings, restrict accounts, temporarily suspend access or permanently remove members where necessary.

Serious behaviour may result in an immediate ban.

5. KEEP IT LEGAL

Do not use Patient Support to arrange, encourage or facilitate illegal activity.

There is no buying, selling, swapping, gifting or sourcing of prescription cannabis or other prescription medication between members.

Being prescribed the same medicine does not make transferring it to somebody else lawful.

6. PATIENT EXPERIENCE IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE

Sharing your personal experience is encouraged.

Tell people what worked for you, what didn't, what you noticed and what you learned.

But don't diagnose other members, tell them what they must take or present personal experience as medical fact.

Treatment and prescribing decisions belong between the patient and an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

7. FACTS NEED RECEIPTS

If you're presenting something as fact, particularly around law, medicine, prescribing or patient rights, be prepared to show where it came from.

Personal experience is completely valid. Just describe it as personal experience.

"This happened to me" and "this is the law" are two very different statements.

8. PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES & RESPONSIBLE DISCUSSION

Members can discuss prescribed medicines, strains, terpenes, devices, effects and their own treatment experiences.

Discussion must remain responsible and within the purpose of a medical patient community.

Do not encourage another member to misuse their prescription, ignore clinical advice or obtain medication outside lawful channels.

9. BUSINESSES, PARTNERS & PROMOTION

Businesses and partners must have prior approval from Patient Support before advertising or promoting commercial services.

We only approve businesses we have vetted and with whom we've established an appropriate relationship or agreement.

No agreement = no promotion.

Unauthorised advertising, affiliate links, repeated self-promotion or solicitation may be removed.

10. PROTECT PEOPLE'S PRIVACY

Do not publish another person's private information without permission.

This includes private messages, personal details, addresses, telephone numbers, identifying information, prescriptions or medical information.

Think before posting your own sensitive information too. This is a patient community, but that doesn't mean everybody needs your life paperwork.

11. YOUR ACCOUNT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Keep your login details secure.

Do not impersonate another person, create accounts intended to deceive members or deliberately misrepresent who you are.

Where patient verification is required, information supplied must be genuine.

12. SCAMS & FRAUD

Scams, fraudulent activity, deliberately misleading offers and attempts to exploit other members will not be tolerated.

If something feels suspicious, report it rather than engaging with it.

13. CONTENT THAT MAY BE ILLEGAL OR SERIOUSLY HARMFUL

Do not post material that is unlawful, threatening, seriously abusive or intended to facilitate harm.

Where we reasonably believe content creates a serious safety or legal concern, it may be removed immediately and further action may be taken where appropriate.

14. IMAGES, LINKS & OTHER CONTENT

Only share material you have the right to share.

Links must be relevant and must not be used to bypass rules around advertising, sales, sourcing or prohibited content.

Do not deliberately post malicious, deceptive or unsafe links.

15. KEEP POSTS RELEVANT

We're a patient community, not the entire internet squeezed into one forum.

Use the appropriate section where possible and keep discussions reasonably relevant to the purpose of that area.

Admins may move, close or remove posts where necessary to keep the forum usable.

16. REPORTS & COMPLAINTS

If you have a problem with another member, a post or something happening within the community, use the website's reporting system.

Reports are reviewed by the admin team.

Please give enough information for us to understand what happened rather than starting a public argument about it.

17. MODERATOR DECISIONS & APPEALS

Admins and moderators sometimes have to make judgement calls.

If you disagree with a moderation decision, contact the team privately and explain why.

Do not create repeated posts, arguments or campaigns against individual admins or members because you disagree with a decision.

We are happy to reconsider something when appropriate. Abuse isn't an appeal process.

18. COMMON SENSE STILL APPLIES

No set of rules can predict every possible situation.

Trying to exploit a technical loophole because "the rules don't specifically say I can't" does not make inappropriate behaviour acceptable.

Admins may act where something clearly undermines the safety, purpose or integrity of the community even if that exact behaviour isn't written above.

In short: be respectful, keep it legal, protect people's privacy, distinguish experience from fact, and remember there's another human being behind the screen.