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Australia's NSW allows farmers to grow poppies for medical use

Xinhua, August 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Australia's New South Wales farmers will now be able to legally grow poppies as the state government has just passed a bill legalizing the production of the crops.

The Poppy Industry 2016 bill, which was passed through the NSW state parliament on Wednesday, received full support from the state government, opposition, minor parties, and independents, with the first poppy crops expected to be planted in 2017.

NSW Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said the bill will enable alkaloid poppies meant for the production of medicine to be safely and securely grown in the state.

"Opiate-based medications are used for a wide range of conditions, including pain relief, palliative care and anti-addiction medications," Blair said in a statement.

"This bill supports manufacturing and production of these products in a cost-effective way."

"An alkaloid poppy industry in NSW also provides an opportunity to establish a new highvalue rural industry with a well-established international reputation and strong prospects for future growth," he said.

However, Blair said alkaloid poppy production will be highly regulated at state, with license conditions and guidelines providing clear and rigorous requirements for the industry in time to come. Endit