Australia: Market and legal data analysis of the cannabis sector

11th March 2024: Australia: A petition urging the government to reduce the cost of medical cannabis has been launched in the Australian Parliament. The petition claims that the current price of medical cannabis means that it is not easily accessible to most patients, who also have to cover high costs for other types of treatment. The petition will be open until 13th March 2024.
8th February 2024: Australia: The state of New South Wales (NSW) has announced the establishment of a Hemp Industry Taskforce. This task force, which will include 12 representatives from growers and industry associations, will analyse and debate the objectives of the NSW industrial hemp industry, such as switching to a circular economy and harmonisation of industrial hemp regulations. The task force scope will cover only low-THC hemp for industrial purposes and not hemp for use as a therapeutic good.
30th November 2023: Australia: The government of the state of Victoria has announced that it is open to discuss the decriminalisation of the personal use of cannabis, press reports. This comes after a bill proposing to allow small quantities of cannabis for personal use and self-cultivation of up to six plants was introduced by the Legalise Cannabis party. Mental health minister Ingrid Stitt said that although the Victoria government may be unable to give support to the bill at this time, it is willing to participate in “ongoing discussions with the Legalise Cannabis Victoria party on this topic”. As of today, 30th November, the only state where cannabis for personal use is decriminalised is the Australian Capital Territory.
6th November 2023: Australia: A bill implementing a trial allowing people to drive a motor vehicle after having consumed medical cannabis was passed last week at the Legislative Assembly of the state of Victoria and is awaiting approval at the Legislative Council. If passed, the bill will allow users with a prescription to consume medical cannabis and drive. The trial is planned to be conducted in a controlled driving environment away from public roads.
8th September 2023: Australia: The Green Party senator David Shoebridge has introduced a bill in Parliament that aims to legalise recreational cannabis. If passed, cannabis would be legal at federal level and the growing of up to six plants per household without a licence would be allowed. The sale of cannabis would also be permitted under a licence. The bill stipulates that an adult who is found in possession of cannabis of a registered strain or in possession of a licence would not be committing an offence. Importation would remain prohibited. The Greens currently hold 11 seats out of 76 in the Senate.
10th August 2023: Australia: The Green Party today introduced a bill aimed at legalising recreational cannabis. It follows a public consultation on the bill’s wording that found great public support for legalisation. The bill would allow home growing of up to six plants per household. Senator David Shoebridge, who introduced the bill, hopes it can be passed this year. The Greens currently hold 11 out of 76 Senate seats.
20th June 2023: Australia: Bills to legalise adult use of recreational cannabis are to be introduced in three states, press reports. The Legalise Cannabis Party is planning to introduce identical bills in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. New South Wales MP Jeremy Buckingham said: “It’s time to take cannabis supply and quality control out of the hands of organised crime and make the needs of the community, patients and consumers a priority.” If the bills are passed, the possession of up to 50 g of cannabis per person will be allowed, along with the cultivation of up to six cannabis plants per household.
8th March 2023: Australia: The government and opposition parties in the state of Victoria are supporting a bill introduced by the Legalise Cannabis party to allow patients prescribed with cannabis to drive, press reports. During discussion of the bill in the state Parliament today, most parties, including the government, backed the initiative. If the bill is eventually passed, patients who use cannabis as a treatment will not be penalised for testing positive in drug tests conducted on the roads.
15th February 2023: Australia: The Legalise Cannabis party has introduced a proposal to allow patients prescribed with cannabis to drive, press reports. They say those who regularly use cannabis as a treatment should not be penalised for testing positive in drug tests conducted on the roads. There have been calls in South Australia to exclude medical cannabis users from new drug-driving rules, while the campaign Drive Change is making the same case in a number of states.
19th January 2023: Australia: The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) has simplified the process of funding medical cannabis for armed forces veterans. It will now allow general practitioners to approve the funding of medical cannabis without the need of a specialist’s assessment. It has also implemented a “tier-based approval approach” that takes into consideration the active ingredients, dose parameters and regulatory factors.
14th December 2022: Australia: The number of representatives in the Victoria state upper house who support the legalisation of recreational cannabis has increased following election results confirmed today, press reports. At least eight of the 11 crossbench members of the Legislative Council, including four from the Green party and two from Legalise Cannabis Victoria, are in favour of legalisation. The election has left the ruling Labor Party needing the support of at least six crossbenchers to pass any legislation.
4th November 2022: Australia: The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has fined two medical cannabis companies for alleged unlawful advertising of unregistered medicinal cannabis products on their websites. According to the TGA, the advertisements included references to serious diseases or conditions, including cancer and epilepsy. Advertising prescription medicines to consumers is prohibited in Australia. The advertising of such products is only permitted to health professionals. The two companies have been fined AUD106,560 ($68,700) and AUD133,200 ($85,900), respectively.

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