Ongoing concerns about the impact of imported medical cannabis

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australian medicinal cannabis growers are warning of "catastrophic failures" in the local industry if the government doesn't change how it regulates and supplies the product. A group representing licensed medicinal cannabis producers say too many products are imported which is putting the local industry at risk.

Transcript

00:00Producer Cade Turland is passionate about bringing high-quality medicinal cannabis to the Australian market.

00:10But he says that is at risk.

00:12What we find is that this bulk of flood of imports is ultimately squashing the ability for domestic producers to meet domestic demand.

00:21In 2023, 61% of medicinal cannabis in Australia was imported.

00:27We have more control around the quality, who's producing it in this country.

00:31And in this country, we can produce all of the product subsets that are being imported at the moment.

00:37According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, all medicinal cannabis products must comply with the Australian quality standards.

00:45And in 2023, requirements for overseas manufacturers came into effect following concerns that Australian producers had higher regulatory burdens.

00:56But Mr Turland says the playing field still isn't equal.

01:00So he's joined 80% of licensed Australian producers who've written to the Health Minister calling for a domestic first policy.

01:09Really having concept around a cap.

01:11So the Australian producers produce this much, let's say it's 50 tonnes, there's a 20 tonne gap and that's given to importers.

01:18It's a more positive story for Tasmanian botanics.

01:22This facility both grows the plant and produces the product, such as oils, meaning they're not reliant on international imports.

01:31From our personal point of view, it doesn't really affect us too much.

01:34We're vertically integrated and we're sort of set to compete.

01:38Green Senator Peter Wish Wilson was the first politician to openly discuss their use of medicinal cannabis.

01:45He says the structure of Tasmanian botanicals is ideal, but isn't achievable for many smaller growers.

01:52It's a high value product in a massively burgeoning growing market.

01:57I'd hate to see them go to the wall because governments haven't checked the settings after five years of very rapid growth.

02:04Senator Wish Wilson says he'll take the growers' concerns to the federal parliament.

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