First licence given for medicinal cannabis

The first licence to grow and harvest medicinal cannabis in Australia has been granted with Health Minister Greg Hunt promising more licences are on the way.

Australian patients are a step closer to accessing home-grown medicinal cannabis with the first licence granted to grow and harvest the plant.

The licence granted on Wednesday will only supply the Victorian market for now, but federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says licences for other states are expected to be issued shortly.

"This heralds the beginning of Australian domestic supply of medicinal cannabis products," he said.