Australia: Turnbull government to introduce law to legalise and license growers

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The Turnbull government wants to make it legal to grow medicinal cannabis in Australia this year.

Health Minister Sussan Ley said on Friday she was finalising changes to the Narcotics Drugs Act to allow cannabis to be grown for medicinal and scientific purposes.

Victoria and NSW state governments have indicated they want to legalise medicinal cannabis, and are waiting on a federal regulatory scheme to do so.

Health Minister Sussan Ley

Health Minister Sussan Ley Photo: Andrew Meares

This comes days after Greens leader Richard Di Natale announced he would put a separate cross-party bill on the same issue to the Senate next month.

Ms Ley said the government's planned changes would allow the Department of Health to license growers under a new scheme, with obligations and legal requirements for states and territories. They would be consulted with the Greens, Labor and crossbench senators, as well as the states and territories "before...

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