THE first medicinal cannabis crop grown by Victoria’s Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources has now been harvested.

It is now being tested and formulated – part of product development and product validation to support Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification in preparation for treating the first patient cohort – for children suffering from severe epilepsy.

Victoria was the first state in Australia to legalise access to medicinal cannabis for patients in exceptional circumstances. The product being developed will be the first locally produced medicinal cannabis to be legally available in Australia.

The first cannabis research licence under the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 has been granted by the Office of Drug Control to a Victorian based company, Cann Group.

Construction has also been completed of a purpose-built cultivation and manufacturing facility for the supply of high quality medicinal cannabis to patients in Victoria.

GMP certification will ensure the medicinal cannabis supplied will be manufactured to the highest quality and standards.

The Victorian Budget 2016/17 included $28.5 million to establish the Office of Medicinal Cannabis and the Independent Medical Advisory Committee to map out the steps required to roll out this life-changing treatment.

The Office of Medicinal Cannabis is responsible for the regulation of all clinical and manufacturing aspects of the medicinal cannabis framework.

The Independent Medical Advisory Committee provides advice to the Government on the types of medicinal cannabis products that should be approved for use by Victorian patients.

With the delivery of the first batch of cannabis extract, the Office of Medicinal Cannabis will now oversee its testing and the processing stages through to it being manufactured pharmaceutically into a safe treatment for children with severe epilepsy.

Victoria was the first state in Australia to legalise access to medicinal cannabis for patients in exceptional circumstances. The product being developed will be the first locally produced medicinal cannabis to be legally available in Australia.

Source: Victorian Government