Australia to Allow Marijuana to be Grown for Medical Trials – Daily Chronic

PERTH — Australia is altering its drug laws to allow for the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal and scientific purposes, removing a major hurdle to the establishment of clinical trials of the drug, the government said on Saturday.

Draft amendments to the Narcotics Drugs Act are being finalized to allow for the controlled cultivation of marijuana, giving patients access to “a safe, legal and sustainable supply of locally produced products for the first time,” Health Minister Sussan Ley said in a statement.

Australian manufacturers, researchers and patients currently have to access international supplies of legal medicinal marijuana, with cost, limited supply and export barriers making this challenging.

Allowing for the controlled cultivation of marijuana in Australia will…