Just one year after legalizing the use of medical marijuana, the Australian government will allow domestic growers to export their crops.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said Thursday the government wants Australia to enter the emerging global market for medical marijuana with the goal of becoming "the world's number one exporter of medicinal cannabis."
Several countries, including Canada and Israel, as well as more than half of the 50 U.S. states, have legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal reasons, due to the growing acceptance of its therapeutic benefits, such as managing chronic pain. A U.S.-based research firm has forecast the global medical marijuana market will reach nearly $56 billion by 2025.
Hunt says allowing domestic farmers and producers of medicinal cannabis to export their products will ensure an robust supply of medicinal cannabis products for the Australian medical community.
澳大利亚将医用大麻合法化一年之后，将允许国内种植者出口他们生产的大麻。
澳大利亚卫生部长亨特星期四说，澳大利亚政府希望进入医用大麻这个日益兴起的全球市场，目标是成为全世界头号医用大麻出口国。
加拿大和以色列等国家以及美国一半以上的州已经将医用大麻合法化，原因是减轻长期疼痛等大麻的治疗效果越来越广泛地被接受。设在美国的一家研究公司曾预测，全球医用大麻的市场价值到2025年时将达560亿美元。
亨特说，允许澳大利亚国内医用大麻生产者出口他们的产品将确保澳大利亚医药界能有稳定的医用大麻供应。