Australian company licensed to export medicinal cannabis
Australian company AusCann has been granted a landmark licence to grow and export medicinal cannabis from a secure Norfolk Island location, with the first plantings to commence in November this year.
The agreement enables AusCann to immediately progress plans to develop and produce an initial 1 tonne of high-grade medicinal cannabis from a protected 2 hectare site, with production expected to be scaled up to 10 tonnes by 2018. The first harvest is destined for Canada - one of several countries where medicinal cannabis is legal - where AusCann has received strong interest from licensed producers.
Medicinal cannabis is recognised for managing symptoms or modifying underlying disease states for conditions including multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, arthritis and epilepsy, as well as managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and chronic neuropathic pain. AusCann will supply its customers with Sativa and Sativa-dominant strains of the drug that are unsuitable for growing in Canada’s indoor facilities.
AusCann Managing Director Elaine Darby said Norfolk Island has been selected as an ideal location for cannabis production due to its climate and security. She said the project has “the full support of the Norfolk Island community and is expected to generate much-needed revenues via an export fee and employment”.
“Initially, we anticipate creating up to eight full-time jobs, with this number expected to increase to 80 during key harvest and processing periods of May and June.”
Darby said the project is projected to generate significant economic benefits to the Norfolk Island economy, creating a new Australian export industry. She stated, “We can feasibly expect this will become a multimillion-dollar export industry by 2016.”
Norfolk Island Health Minister Robin Adams said, “We look forward to working with AusCann to progress and capitalise on this terrific industry and export opportunity. The people of NI are wholeheartedly behind this venture, which will provide much-needed employment and revenue for our community.”
Darby said a top-level international security firm, Lockforce International, has been engaged to implement security measures on the site. Adams added that the community is “working with AusCann to ensure strict growing and security requirements are in place to facilitate this high-grade, profitable export crop”.
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