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Australia commits to legal growing of medicinal marijuana
Legality: In this Dec
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Legality: In this Dec. 31, 2013 file photo, employees tends to marijuana plants at a grow house in Denver. According to law enforcement officials, Coloradoâs legal marijuana marketplace is in some cases serving as cover for a host of illegal drug traffickers who hide their product among the stateâs many legal growing operations, then covertly ship it elsewhere and pocket millions of dollars from its sale. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, file) (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, file)
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span class="inline inline-center">Legality: In this Dec. 31, 2013 file photo, employees tends to marijuana plants at a grow house in Denver. According to law enforcement officials, Colorado's legal marijuana marketplace is in some cases serving as cover for a host of illegal drug traffickers who hide their product among the state's many legal growing operations, then covertly ship it elsewhere and pocket millions of dollars from its sale. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, file)
Australian lawmakers have committed to legalize the growing of marijuana for medical use within a part of the world renowned for zero-tolerance and harsh penalties for illegal drugs.
The government introduced a bill to Parliament on Wednesday that would amend the Narcotics Drugs Act 1967 and create a licensing scheme for growing medicinal cannabis.
Marijuana is currently illegal throughout Australia, but two states are considering making the drug available for therapeutic uses.
The bill is guaranteed to become law, with the main opposition party immediately pledging support.
The government says the draft law will meet Australia's international obligations to ensure that production, manufacture and distribution of marijuana is for medical and scientific purposes only. (ags)
