Oil from state’s first legal cannabis farm could be ready by January

THE first medicinal cannabis oil from Queensland’s first legal cannabis farm could be ready as soon as January, offering help for kids with epilepsy and hope for adults with other debilitating illnesses.

Master grower Steffen Kraushaar in the Mother Plants Greenhouse at MediFarm. Picture: Megan Slade/AAP

APPROVALS for medical marijuana prescriptions in Queensland have skyrocketed more than 1000 per cent since January, it can be revealed.

It comes as the state’s first legal cannabis farm opened its doors to the media for the first time, as it sees Queensland net a slice of the $55 billion international market for the product.

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Despite medical marijuana being legalised in certain strict circumstances in Queensland since March 2017, the number of approvals languished at just six or seven prescription approvals a month due to red tape and bureaucracy hold ups.

It required approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which could come within days, and the State Government, which could take up to four weeks to approve a prescription.

After Federal intervention the process was streamlined and has seen the approvals boom to 77 approvals in October.

Queensland’s rate of approvals has increased at almost twice the rate of the nation, which saw the 60 prescriptions approved in January increase five-fold to 329 prescriptions.

Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien, who lobbied the State Government to improve its approval times, said the streamlined process meant sick patients could get treated faster and the new industry could get off the ground.

“If you as a doctor wanted to prescribed the stuff, it was a bureaucratic nightmare. But that red tape component has been cleared,” he said.

Medifarm director Adam Benjamin with Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien. Picture: Megan Slade/AAP

“Behind every number is a patient, and for patients who have tried everything and have a doctor recommend they need medicinal cannabis, we need to make sure they can access it as quickly as possible.”

Medicinal cannabis oil is used to treat some instances of children with epilepsy and for adults with other debilitating illnesses.

The first plants are being grown under lights at a high security complex in a secret location the Sunshine Coast.

Medifarm director Adam Benjamin said the company had worked to produce some of the best cannabis strains in the world.

“We are doing this to help the Aussie patient,” Mr Benjamin said.

“We have the genetics to fast track with the global pioneers from Israel.

“Now we have got what we’ve got, we’ve got a duty of care to deliver this to patients.

“There is potentially a $55 billion-plus market. Although that’s exciting from a commercial standpoint, we are focused on the Aussie patient.

“These plants which are now under cultivation are being readied to produce medicine, cannabis medicine by prescription by Aussie doctors for Aussie patients by early 2019.”

Mr O’Brien said the plants were a milestone in an industry that will net Queensland a slice of the $55 billion international medicinal cannabis market.