By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
The Australian government, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, wants to legalize medical marijuana in Australia this year.
Australian Health Minister Sussan Ley on Friday said she was finalizing changes to the Narcotics Drugs Act to allow cannabis to be grown for medicinal and scientific purposes, reports Jane Lee at The Sydney Morning Herald.
The state governments of Victoria and New South Wales have indicated they want to legalize medicinal cannabis, and are waiting for a regulatory scheme from the federal government before they do so.
The move comes a few days after Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he would put a separate cross-party bill on the medical marijuana issue to the Senate next month.
Ley said the government's planned changes would allow the Department of Health to license medicinal cannabis growers, with obligations and legal requirements for states and territories. The Greens, Labor and cross bench senators would be consulted, along with the states and territories, "before bringing a final version to Parliament by the end of the year," she said.
The model offered by Ley differs from the Greens' proposal, which would create a new national regulator overseeing the cultivation, processing and distribution of medical marijuana. Senator Di Natale has said if that bill passes, the independent regulator could be set up this year.
