Tasmania's largest medicinal cannabis facility, which employs around 100 people, will triple production when a new greenhouse opens in the coming weeks. But despite significant demand for the product, health professionals say there's still a lot of stigma around medicinal cannabis and it's use.
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00:00 I'm at a secret location in southern Tasmania which is home to the state's largest medicinal
00:07 cannabis production facility.
00:11 The majority of plants are kept in greenhouses under 168 LED lights.
00:17 This new one hectare greenhouse will allow a huge growth in cultivation.
00:23 It'll be about 3,500 kilograms of dried flower in the greenhouse and then next summer we're
00:29 hoping to grow about 1.8 tonnes of dried flower outside.
00:33 Tasmania is seen as an ideal location to grow medicinal cannabis due to its dry and cooler
00:39 climate.
00:40 It's a huge advantage that we have to use less chemicals and we don't have to use any
00:45 sort of pesticides or anything like that.
00:47 Another massive advantage of having a medicinal cannabis facility in Tasmania is the cost.
00:54 They don't have to pay for air conditioners to decrease humidity and also heat.
01:00 Medicinal cannabis is legal in Tasmania but you must have a script from your GP.
01:06 The state's health department says since 2021 more than 1,500 Tasmanians have accessed medical
01:13 cannabis products.
01:15 I've got people from age 5 to 100 on it.
01:19 But it's not covered under the PBS.
01:22 It's very misunderstood that addictiveness profile.
01:25 When you compare it to things like alcohol, smoking, a lot of opioids, its addictiveness
01:31 levels are dramatically lower.
01:34 She says there should be better education on its benefits and uses.
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