Australia: licensing procedures to be simplified

The Australian government is looking to cut red tape related to the medical cannabis industry. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who took office in 2018, is hoping to contribute to the country's economic growth by speeding up the time it takes to obtain licenses to work in the sector, in projects likely to generate significant gains in terms of jobs or exports. «Reducing red tape and streamlining processes will strengthen this important and evolving industry, and ensure that Australian patients have access to medical cannabis,» said Health Minister Greg Hunt.

From September, the’Office of Drug Control will give priority to license applicants for projects to which the Department of Industry has granted «major project status». To achieve this status, the project should have a significant impact on exports, jobs or industry development. Projects will still need to obtain a number of approvals, but this arrangement will avoid unnecessary delays. This new prioritization will take effect on September 1, 2019.

More 10,000 prescriptions for medical cannabis have already been drafted in Australia since legalization, and the country currently has 69 organizations authorized to grow or produce medical cannabis. «After several years of company development, I am delighted that Leafcann can now begin in earnest to execute its commercial plan to provide medical cannabis products to the many patients whose conditions are not effectively treated by existing pharmaceuticals, and whose quality of life could be significantly improved,» said LeafCann Group Managing Director Ms Elisabetta Faenza.

The last Australian licenses have been awarded to the Group LeafCann Group Pty Ltd, which announced this week that it had received two’Australian Office of Drug Control, The first to carry out scientific research on cannabis, and the second to cultivate medicinal cannabis. This is in addition to the company's existing packaging license. LeafCann will use its Adelaide-based facilities for research, cultivation and manufacturing. The 4,160 m² site, on a 1.1 hectare plot, is currently being refurbished, but is expected to be fully operational by early 2021.