Medicinal cannabis greenlit in Victoria

DOZENS of patients in Victoria have been given the green light to use medicinal cannabis.

106 people across the state have received approval under the newly introduced federal scheme, with dozens of further requests currently being processed.

Among the patients are suffers of cancer and chronic pain along with other serious illnesses.

In total, more than 546 patients in Australia have now been given the tick of approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and are either using cannabis products or sourcing the appropriate drug treatment.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt welcomed the news after the Federal Government legislated to allow the use for medicinal cannabis as well as exportation of Australian grown products.

“We’ve removed all federal barriers to access medicinal cannabis,” he said. “Because of the reforms we have undertaken, patients are now accessing medicinal cannabis.”

It is understood a broad range of practitioners have helped patients apply for cannabis use and the cohort is likely to quickly increase with approvals taking several days.

Mr Hunt said any Australian patient can apply to use cannabis products through a doctor who will use their “professional judgment” to decide if treatment is appropriate.

State Health Minister Jill Hennessy said Victoria had paved the way for medicinal cannabis use in Australia after pushing for laws to treat children with epilepsy after the government’s election in 2014.

“Victoria’s legislation, the first in Australia, forced the Commonwealth to take action, and as a result any patient can now apply through their doctor to the Commonwealth to use medicinal cannabis,’’ she said.