Medicinal marijuana and the lengths Australian farmers must go to in securely growing it

Fingerprint scanners, movement sensor laser alarms, safety groups and high secret places sound like the stuff of spy motion pictures, not Australian farms.

But that's the actuality for a brand new breed of farmers attempting their hand at medicinal cannabis, who've to be sure that the crop is safe from paddock to processor.

"Imagine having all kinds of questions thrown at you like 'What happens if someone shows up with a gun, what are you going to do?'" mentioned Adam Benjamin from Medifarm, a Sunshine Coast-based firm and the first in Queensland to be given the inexperienced gentle to develop the controversial crop underneath strict licence.

Industry regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has now permitted 12 companies in Australia to develop or manufacture medicinal cannabis.

However, farmers wanting to achieve this first have to show their crop won't fall into the palms of thieves and find yourself on the black market.

"Some of these conversations are exciting when you have senior police who have come to the facility to look at what you're doing," Mr Benjamin mentioned.

"We have also had military advisors come in. When even they are quite impressed by what we're doing, we know we are doing the job right."

Tough safety necessities

So secret is the location of Medifarm, ABC Rural had to meet Mr Benjamin at a neighborhood café slightly than on-site.

Mr Benjamin requested that the identify of the city not be talked about.

He was even hesitant to focus on safety measures put in at the web site, in order not to educate potential thieves.

The Department of Health has obtained greater than 75 purposes to develop or manufacture medicinal cannabis in Australia, since legalising the practice in October.

Only 12 have been permitted, and whereas no purposes have been rejected, some candidates have withdrawn their proposal due to the troublesome safety necessities.

"Depending on the size of your facility it moves into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, so you need money in the bank," Mr Benjamin mentioned.

"But in the event you can [invest] then it is properly price it.

Farmers develop cannabis on properties away from public eye to guarantee crop doesn't get stolen.

Farmers develop cannabis on properties away from public eye to guarantee crop doesn't get stolen.

ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy

Adequate safety measures can price up to half 1,000,000 , however Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt is unapologetic about the robust requirements imposed on growers.

"This is a product the medical authorities deem to be the strictest category product and it is at risk of unsafe use or criminal diversion," he mentioned.

"So you can't have anything other than high safety and security requirements. It would be utterly negligent and irresponsible for us not to do that."

Vehicles must be secure from hijackers

Growers and producers of medicinal cannabis even have to reveal the automobiles they use to transport cannabis on the roads are secure from hijackers.

Mr Hunt argues the robust requirements will not be holding the business again, or deterring future farmers.

"There are some who would say let's have no restrictions. I disagree, the medical authorities disagree," he mentioned.

"But the proof is in the pudding as a result of the farmers are nonetheless making use of.

"The important variety of purposes is proof that the farming and growing group has embraced this chance and will ship on it."

A crop as valuable as gold

Keeping cannabis grown for medicinal functions from the black market is not only a well being and security challenge, it can also be a price one for farmers and producers.

The crop is just too useful to danger it being stolen.

"Medicinal cannabis oils in their pure forms [cost] around the same as gold, around about $US30,000 per kilo or litre, which sounds like a lot but that is a pure form," Mr Benjamin mentioned.

Farmers wanting to develop medicinal cannabis want to apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval.

Farmers wanting to develop medicinal cannabis want to apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval.

ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy

Only considered one of the 12 corporations permitted to develop medicinal cannabis presently has crop in the floor, and is nearing cultivation.

This means the first lot of Australian-grown medicinal cannabis merchandise could possibly be on the home market in direction of the finish of the 12 months.

Mr Hunt mentioned the Australian business had even larger potential.

"I would like to see it expand from domestic growth and consumption, on a very safe regulated basis, for the potential to be an export crop," he mentioned.

"It is important that Australia becomes a natural global supplier of medicinal cannabis for the genuine therapeutic market."

Tasmania's opium poppy business is booming, regardless of the safety requirements imposed on growers.

Tasmania's opium poppy business is booming, regardless of the safety requirements imposed on growers.

ABC News: Gregor Salmon

It is a giant expectation, however not unimaginable contemplating Tasmania's success at opiate manufacturing, a crop that can also be required to be grown underneath robust safety requirements.

Waiting to see whether or not native crops are on par

While the home cannabis business good points momentum the Australian Medical Association (AMA) is cautioning in opposition to crop falling into the palms of drug customers or the black market commerce.

Medicinal cannabis normally comes in the type of oils or sprays, nonetheless a spokesperson for the TGA mentioned approvals for uncooked cannabis merchandise have additionally been granted underneath a particular entry scheme.

"Our position is very clear, in terms of there is no role for recreational use of medicinal cannabis," vp Tony Bartone mentioned.

"It is not something we want to see or see it get into the wrong hands."

The AMA can also be ready to see if Australian-grown and made medicinal cannabis medicine are on par with their abroad counterparts.

Most of the current analysis into the well being claims of medicinal cannabis relied on crop grown abroad, so medical professionals in Australia are ready to see the outcomes of research into regionally made cannabis medicine.

That analysis will assist to develop pointers for Australian medical professionals wanting to prescribe the drug.

"Because of the peculiarities of the plant it varies in consistency and component nature from one [growing] area to another," Dr Bartone mentioned.

"These [local studies] are also occurring to ensure that what the guidelines and evidence show is based on locally produced and sourced products as well."

The scientific trials are presently being run by teachers from the Universities of New South Wales, Sydney and Queensland, with help from the TGA and state and territory well being departments.

The AMA mentioned there may be some abroad proof to present medicinal cannabis has a job to play in decreasing the signs of epilepsy, in addition to easing the nausea skilled by anorexia victims or individuals taking HIV remedy.

"There is also some preliminary evidence pointing to a role [medicinal cannabis plays] in other neurological disorders," Dr Bartone mentioned.

However, regardless of the surge in public help for medicinal cannabis and the issuing of licences for corporations to develop or course of medicinal cannabis, the TGA mentioned there may be solely restricted proof from scientific trials and in medical literature to again its well being claims.

"The incompleteness of evidence is due to few trials being possible around the world due to medicinal cannabis products being generally prohibited or heavily controlled in research in countries such as the US until fairly recently," a TGA spokesperson mentioned.

If the native research quantity to extra help of Australian-grown medicinal cannabis it will give native farmers, and not simply pharmaceutical corporations, extra confidence to spend large and make investments in the business.

Medicinal marijuana and the lengths Australian farmers must go to in securely growing it