The first ever commercial quantity of legally-imported cannabis has hit Aussie shores.
The shipment is the first of two ordered since the approval of imported cannabis by the Turnbull government in February.
“These shipments are the first under our policy to allow controlled importation of medicinal cannabis for approved patients,” said health minister Greg Hunt.
“We are making it easier to access medical cannabis products more rapidly, while still maintaining strict safeguards for individual and community safety.”
Since the policy’s approval in Feb, 30 permits have been granted to import cannabis products from Canada, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
More shipments are expected to arrive in Australia throughout May, however these are only intended to act as an interim supply until the local market is big enough to meet demand.
“What we’ve done here is issue a call for people to be able to establish an interim supply for and within Australia through importation,” Hunt said in February.
Meanwhile, local activists claim cannabis is still too difficult to access under the current scheme, and are upset that ‘compassionate providers’ illegally supplying cannabis to patients – such as Jenny Hallam – have not been granted amnesty.
