Medicinal marijuana will become legal in Australia from November this year thanks to a formal decision made by the Therapeutic Goods Administration earlier this week. This landmark ruling will pave the way for eventual decriminalisation and full legalisation in the coming decade.
This move has been hailed by medical marijuana advocates as a step in the right direction. People who are suffering from things like chronic pain and nausea caused by chemo-therapy will be able to use the incredibly healing plant to treat their illnesses when this program comes in place.
However, it still could be sometime before the system is in full swing and patients are allowed proper access to life improving cannabis medicines. United in Compassion co-founder and medicinal marijuana campaigner Lucy Haslam has said that the ruling of this investigation is an "essential step in the process".
There are many concerns being raised about the incoming system, some worry the proposed industry may be so over regulated that it's not properly accessible for many patients. Education on medical marijuana is also a key factor as there are people and doctors who may feel uncomfortable prescribing it.
Earlier this year a ground breaking ruling in Federal Parliament allowed changes to the Narcotic Drugs Act which will make growing and producing cannabis in Australia for medical uses legal. New South Wales become the first state to obtain the correct license to be develop medicinal marijuana a few months ago.