Montu & Alternaleaf — Australia's Largest Medicinal Cannabis Platform (2026)

Montu is the most prominent company in Australia’s medicinal cannabis prescribing ecosystem — an integrated platform that handles the entire patient journey from initial consultation through prescription to doorstep delivery. Operating under multiple brand names (primarily Alternaleaf for prescribing and CanView for dispensing), Montu has become the dominant force in Australian cannabis telehealth by focusing on patient accessibility, prescriber training, and pharmacist integration.

For many Australian patients, Montu or Alternaleaf is their first point of contact with the medicinal cannabis system — and understanding what these brands offer (and how they differ from other access options) helps patients make informed choices about their care.

Montu — the company structure

Founded: 2021
Headquarters: Melbourne, Victoria
Market listing: CBOE Australia (formerly Chi-X Australia)
Key brands:

• Alternaleaf — telehealth prescribing platform
• CanView — online pharmacy and dispensing
• Montu Dispensaries — physical dispensary locations (select cities)

Montu was founded by Josh Fegan and Sam Carrello with the vision of building the infrastructure layer for Australian medicinal cannabis access — not producing cannabis, but connecting patients with prescribers and products efficiently at scale. The strategy proved prescient: as telehealth exploded in the post-pandemic period and cannabis prescribing expanded rapidly from 2021, Montu’s integrated model allowed it to grow faster than any single-function competitor.

Alternaleaf — the telehealth prescribing arm

Alternaleaf is Australia’s largest medicinal cannabis telehealth prescribing service. It operates as a platform connecting patients with TGA-authorised doctors who specialise in cannabis medicine.

How Alternaleaf works:

1. Register online at alternaleaf.com.au — provide basic details about your condition and medical history
2. Book a consultation — video appointment with a Alternaleaf-affiliated TGA-authorised prescriber; typically available within 24–48 hours
3. Consultation — 20–30 minute video consultation reviewing your history, current medications and treatment goals
4. TGA application — if cannabis is appropriate, the prescriber submits a TGA SAS-B application immediately
5. Approval — typically within 24–72 hours
6. Dispensing — prescription directed to CanView (Montu’s pharmacy) or another registered pharmacy of your choice

Alternaleaf’s prescriber network includes doctors from multiple states, enabling nationwide coverage. Follow-up appointments (typically every 3 months) can be booked through the same platform.

Cost: Initial consultations with Alternaleaf-affiliated prescribers are competitively priced in the $50–$149 range. Follow-up consultations are generally $30–$80.

Who Alternaleaf is best for:

• New patients who want the fastest, most streamlined access to a cannabis prescriber
• Patients with good internet access who are comfortable with video consultations
• Patients who prefer the integrated prescribing + dispensing platform
• Patients anywhere in Australia, including rural and regional areas

CanView — the dispensing arm

CanView is Montu’s online cannabis pharmacy — one of Australia’s largest dispensers of medicinal cannabis products. CanView stocks a broad range of TGA-approved products including:

• Dried cannabis flower (multiple brands, strains, and cannabinoid profiles)
• Cannabis oils (THC-dominant, balanced THC:CBD, CBD-dominant)
• Capsules
• Vaporiser cartridges
• Oral sprays

CanView’s advantages:

• Broad product formulary — extensive strain and format selection
• Integrated with Alternaleaf prescriptions (one-click pharmacy direction)
• National delivery to all Australian states and territories
• Pharmacist consultation available for product questions

You do not need to use CanView to access Alternaleaf prescriptions. You can have your Alternaleaf prescription directed to any registered Australian pharmacy. CanView is Montu’s preferred option but not obligatory.

Montu Dispensaries — physical locations

In addition to its telehealth and online pharmacy arms, Montu operates physical dispensary locations in select Australian cities. These locations provide:

• In-person consultations with registered cannabis nurses and pharmacists
• Product viewing and education (note: dispensaries do not dispense without a valid prescription)
• Community events and patient education sessions
• A physical point of contact for patients who prefer face-to-face interactions

Dispensary locations are expanding. Check Montu’s website for current locations.

Montu’s product partnerships

Montu (through CanView) works with multiple Australian and international licensed cannabis producers. This means patients can access products from various manufacturers — including Australian producers like Little Green Pharma, Cann Group, and Cannatrek, as well as imported products from Canadian, Dutch and Israeli producers.

Montu does not manufacture cannabis itself. It is a platform and distribution company, not a cultivator.

Why Montu/Alternaleaf became dominant

Speed and efficiency: In Australia’s competitive telehealth prescribing market, Montu built faster appointment availability, faster TGA processing, and smoother dispensing integration than most competitors. Time from initial contact to medicine in hand is consistently among the shortest in the industry.

Training investment: Montu invests heavily in prescriber education. The quality of cannabis medicine consultation available through Alternaleaf has improved significantly since the platform’s 2021 launch.

Patient experience focus: The platform UX (user experience) — booking flow, communication, refill management — is more polished than most competitors. For patients who are new to telehealth and to cannabis medicine, this reduces friction at a potentially anxious moment.

Scale advantage: As Australia’s largest cannabis prescribing platform, Montu’s scale provides product pricing leverage and supply certainty that smaller competitors struggle to match.

Considerations for Montu/Alternaleaf patients

The platform model vs. independent GP: Some patients prefer an ongoing relationship with their own GP or specialist who they trust for cannabis prescribing. Alternaleaf’s model involves consulting with platform-affiliated doctors who are cannabis prescribing specialists but may not have your full longitudinal health history.

CanView formulary: While broad, CanView’s product range reflects its commercial partnerships. An independent pharmacy may stock some products or strains not available through CanView.

Privacy: As with all telehealth platforms, consider Montu’s privacy practices and data storage. Your medical information is shared within the Montu platform (prescribers and pharmacists) but the company is bound by Australian Privacy Act obligations.

Frequently asked questions — Montu and Alternaleaf

Is Alternaleaf the same as Montu? Alternaleaf is Montu’s consumer-facing telehealth prescribing brand. Montu is the parent company that also operates CanView (pharmacy) and Montu Dispensaries. From a patient perspective, Alternaleaf is the entry point; CanView is where your prescription is dispensed if you choose Montu’s pharmacy.

Can I use Alternaleaf if I have a complex medical history? Yes — Alternaleaf’s prescribers are trained in cannabis medicine and can handle patients with complex histories. Very complex cases (multiple drug interactions, serious psychiatric conditions) may be best served by an in-person specialist; discuss your situation during the initial consultation.

Is Montu listed on the stock exchange? Yes — Montu trades on CBOE Australia. As a listed company, it publishes regular financial reports providing transparency into its operations and scale.

Can I switch from Alternaleaf to another prescriber? Yes. Your TGA prescription history is yours. You can transfer care to another prescriber at any time. Ask your new prescriber about the transition process.

Does Alternaleaf prescribe to patients in all Australian states? Yes — Alternaleaf has prescribers with authorisation in all Australian states and territories, and conducts consultations via video nationally.