An Australian company called RxMM Health, based in Perth, is making a play for the fast-growing, American marijuana industry. The company has applied for a license to grow and sell medical marijuana in southern California.

The Turnbull government has announced the creation of a nationally consistent licencing scheme to regulate the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes. 

The Epilepsy Association of Western Australia and a Perth-based medical marijuana company are rejoicing at the federal government's decision to introduce a national scheme to legalise medicinal cannabis by licensing growers.

Health Minister Sussan Ley said on Wednesday the government had drafted legislation to establish a single scheme for growers of medical cannabis in all states and territories, which would be introduced in Parliament's first sitting fortnight next year.

Sympathy, understanding, care, benevolence, compassion.

Not the most common structure for a new business to adopt, especially in the medical/medicine industry.

To show true compassion, one must understand the suffering of others or suffer with them, neglecting empathy will lead a business down paths of profit margins and stock market strength rather then ethical notions, of which medicine should be all about.

‘The dignified alleviation of suffering with compassion and empathy’, the philosophy behind United in Compassion, a fresh endeavor into the medical marijuana industry in Australia.

Haslam, the dominant name that is currently sparking the progressive movement towards ending the prohibition of cannabis as a medicine.

The Turnbull government will introduce a national scheme to legalise medicinal cannabis by licensing growers next year, which could pave the way for a local industry.

Health Minister Sussan Ley said on Wednesday that the government had drafted legislation to establish a single scheme for growers in all states and territories, which would be introduced in Parliament's first sitting fortnight next year.

Ms Ley had previously said she would introduce a law before the end of this year to allow the states and territories to licence growers in their own jurisdictions.

Matthew and Elizabeth Pallett at home with their dog Champ. Photo: Joe Armao

A Melbourne couple who supplied medicinal marijuana to the chronically ill say they'll take their fight against serious drugs charges to a jury, and are prepared to be jailed for their beliefs.

Matthew and Elizabeth Pallett​, who provided medical cannabis products to people with multiple sclerosis, cancer, epilepsy, fibromyalgia and Crohn's disease, face charges of cultivating, possessing and trafficking cannabis at a time when governments are moving to legalise medical cannabis.

About five years ago the couple established a "compassion club" and began openly providing cannabis-based tinctures, chocolates and butters to regular clients.

The Nimbin Hemp Embassy has accused NSW police of destroying ‘a truckload of good medicine’ with its latest cannabis eradication raids.

Echonetdaily reported yesterday that police had seized more than 12,500 cannabis plants at Cawongla, Wadeville, New Italy, Double Duke, Jackie Bulbin, Mummulgum, Bulldog and Ewingar in recent weeks.

Another 8,000 plants were seized from a large crop in the Bundjalung National Park in November.

Police said the plants had an estimated potential street value of more than $8 million, despite the fact many were juveniles.

Nimbin Hemp Embassy president Michael Balderstone said the estimated value placed on the plants by police was ‘nonsense’.

Evidence for the efficacy of medicinal cannabis is scarce, and a system to regulate it would be challenging and costly, but there would be therapeutic benefit for specific patient groups.

In a review published in Australian Prescriber today, Bridin Murnion — senior staff specialist in drug health services at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and clinical senior lecturer in addiction medicine at Sydney University — says the debate must be kept distinct from the one over recreational marijuana.

Newcastle's leading addiction specialist has been appointed to the state government's Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Council.

Doctors, academics and patient welfare advocates have been appointed to a special advisory council to guide the NSW Government's medicinal cannabis research program. 

Among the nine member board is Newcastle associate professor Adrian Dunlop. 

Professor has over 20 years experience as an addiction clinician and currently serves as the Addiction Medicine Senior Staff Specialist with Hunter New England Health. 

Other members of the board include, Professor Richard Day AM, Dr Bronwyn Evans, Mrs Lucy Haslam, Professor Alison Jones, Professor Graham King, Professor Laurent Rivory, Dr Saxon Smith and Dr Kendra Sundquist. 

Could one of the most important entitlement programs for seniors ever cover a medical marijuana prescription? Here's what would need to happen.

There are certainly no shortage of issues as we head into the 2016 elections, some of which include terrorism/national security, U.S. economic growth, prescription drug inflation, and of course marijuana.