Australia's domestic supply of medicinal cannabis begins

The first licence to grow medicinal cannabis commercially in Australia has been granted and heralds the beginning of Australian domestic supply of medicinal cannabis products.

The Department of Health’s Office of Drug Control has issued the licence under the medicinal cannabis provisions of the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 to Cannoperations Pty Ltd — a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian company Cann Group Limited.

The Turnbull government is committed to facilitating faster access by qualified doctors to medicinal cannabis for patients with the necessary approvals.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said that the provision to issue domestic licences will make it easier to access medicinal cannabis products more rapidly, while still maintaining strict safeguards for individual and community safety.

In an official statement, Hunt explains that the licence granted to Cannoperations will initially be for the Victorian medicinal market with other licences for other Australian jurisdictions expected to be issued shortly.

While the Australian supply of medicinal cannabis continues to develop, the government has authorised the importation and storage of the product from international sources for interim supply to qualified doctors in Australia.

Cannoperations was subject to the necessary fit and proper person and security tests associated with processing licence applications, resulting in the Office of Drug Control granting a research licence on 17 February and the commercial licence on 8 March. Cannoperations now holds licences for both research and domestic patient supply purposes.

Prior to granting the licence, the Office of Drug Control undertook a rigorous on-site security assessment of the Cannoperations facility and operating procedures. Similar assessments for other licence applicants are in progress.

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