THE HON SUSSAN LEY MP
Minister for Health
Minister for Aged Care
Minister for Sport
MEDIA RELEASE 17 October 2015.
Turnbull Govt delivers medicinal cannabis ‘missing piece’
The Turnbull Government will seek parliamentary support to allow the controlled cultivation of
cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes in Australia to deliver patients access to a safe, legal
and sustainable supply of locally-produced products for the first-time.
Minister for Health Sussan Ley today announced that the Government was currently in the
process of finalising draft amendments to the Narcotics Drugs Act 1967 to allow the controlled
cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes in Australia.
Ms Ley also announced the Government would create a Commonwealth licensing scheme within
the Department of Health to ensure cultivation meets Australia’s international obligations.
Ms Ley said allowing controlled cultivation locally would provide the critical “missing piece” for the
Commonwealth to enable a sustainable supply of a safe medicinal cannabis product to Australian
patients in the future.