Australia plans to legalise marijuana cultivation for medicinal uses

Perth

AUSTRALIA is changing its drug laws to allow the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal and scientific uses, 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 finalised 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.