The debilitating side-effects left him constantly nauseous or vomiting, with fevers, infections and nerve damage to his legs that put him in a wheelchair.

His symptoms were relieved by cannabis oil, supplied by the parent company of Zelda Therapeutics, which now hopes to run clinical trials in Australia.

Aussie co-founder and stem cell scientist Stewart Washer told news.com.au the firm’s work could bring millions into the economy, and it’s just one of many falling over themselves to cash in on what is potentially a multibillion-dollar industry.

ADAM Benjamin's goal of turning the Sunshine Coast into a world leading supplier of medicinal cannabis is a step closer with a Bill tabled in the Queensland Parliament.

And on Thursday Mr Benjamin has a meeting with Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt to discuss his company Medifarm's business model.

The new Bill, announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, will establish the framework for the prescription, dispensing and administration of the drug.

Mr Benjamin said the timing of the Bill and the meeting with Mr Pitt was "better than perfect".

He was confident medical cannabis would be a "huge industry with many job and export opportunities".

"There is the projection for a big tax revenue," he said.

MGC Pharmaceuticals (ASX: MXC) has relisted on the Australian Securities Exchange and will move ahead with a $5 million planned capital raising after the ASX confirmed that MGC’s acquisition of a European medical cannabis company does not constitute a change of nature or scale under Chapter 11 listing rules.

The funds will be used to expand MGC’s European operations and to acquire Panax Pharma s.r.o., a Czech-based company holding a medical cannabis breeding license with access to growing space in the Vukoz Research Institute of the Czech Ministry of the Environment.

Laws to legalise medicinal marijuana in Queensland will be introduced to Parliament today, a day after a child who was given cannabis oil illegally by her father died from cancer.

Health Minister Cameron Dick will introduce the Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016, which he said would create the most progressive laws in Australia and set up a robust framework to ensure it was prescribed safely.

He said more than 1,000 people responded in an online survey to the draft bill, with 96 per cent in favour of cannabis being used for treatment.

"Queenslanders have sent us a strong message — we have listened, and by presenting this bill to Parliament we are moving towards delivering for them," he said.

The New South Wales Government has applied for a licence to grow cannabis for medical research trials.

Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said the state's cultivation licence application was lodged with the Federal Government last week.

Earlier this year, the Federal Parliament passed legislation to make the cultivation of medicinal cannabis legal — with a licence.

The NSW Government is running clinical trials for severe childhood epilepsy, terminal illnesses and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Australian medicinal cannabis firm AusCann has entered a partnership with the world's biggest legal cannabis producer, Canada's Canopy Growth Corporation.

As Australia's nascent medicinal cannabis sector starts to develop, AusCann says its deal with Canopy puts it in pole position for international expansion opportunities.

So-called "pot stocks" have been encouraged by the Australian government's decision in February to allow cannabis cultivation for medical or scientific purposes.

AusCann said the deal will give it access to Canopy's expertise in cultivation, manufacture and supply of quality medicinal cannabis ahead of a planned ASX listing in July.

IN AN Australian-first, Lanai Carter’s four-year battle to have medicinal cannabis legalised for her son’s use has been won.

The Loganholme mother this morning confirmed to the Albert & Logan News that Queensland Health had cleared the way for her teenage son, Lindsay, to receive a shipment of certified medicinal cannabis.

Mrs Carter said she was “relieved’’ the cannabis oil capsules had been approved to treat her boy’s brain tumour but cautioned the family was still waiting on approval for “vaporised cannabis for pain, nausea and appetite stimulation’’.

The cannabis legalisation storm is sweeping the world, and Australia’s late Greens MP John Kaye was a knight in shining armour as he was trying his level best to decriminalise medical marijuana based on his own experience. Unfortunately, he lost his battle with cancer and died at the age of 60 on Monday. He was a man of “enormous principle, energy and commitment.” He was a personal user of medicinal cannabis, and according to him, he benefitted greatly from it. Hence, he was hell-bent in legalising cannabis in Australia.

From giant inflatable joints to passed out revellers and even a stoned world chess championship: Inside Mardi Grass - the bizarre festival where Australia protests against cannabis laws

• Thousands attended the annual Mardi Grass festival in Nimbin, northern New South Wales on Saturday
• The popular festival attended by people from across Australia is a cannabis law reform protest and gathering
• The festival included the Global Marijuana March and a banner advertised the 'Stoned World Chess Championship'

Thousands of people have descended upon a small town for an event known as Mardi Grass, and they have a higher purpose than simply attending the three-day event.