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Related authorities
A number of Australian government authorities including federal, state and local authorities, have different responsibilities in relation to the regulation of controlled substances. You must ensure you comply with all relevant legal requirements.
Australian Government
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Visit the TGA - external site to find information about:
- Patient access to medicinal cannabis - external site through the Authorised prescriber (AP) - external site or Special Access Scheme (SAS) - external site
- Medicinal cannabis: Information for health professionals - external site
- Medicinal cannabis – information on manufacturing requirements - external site, including Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) licence or clearance
- Conforming with Therapeutic Goods (Standard for Medicinal Cannabis) (TGO 93) Order 2017 - external site - Minimum quality requirements standard for medicinal cannabis
- Information for Australian manufacturers of medicinal cannabis products - external site
- Advertising guidance for businesses involved with medicinal cannabis products. - external site
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
Visit DAFF - external site to find information about:
- Kava - external site - Kava requirements
- Kava – Import and labelling requirements - external site
- Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) - external site - Australian biosecurity importation requirements
- Importing food into Australia - external site.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ)
Visit FSANZ - external site to find information about:
- Proposal P1057 – Review of the Kava standard - external site - Food standard variation for Kava.
Department of Health and Aged Care
Visit the Department of Health and Aged Care - external site to find information about drug, alcohol and tobacco harm reduction, programs and research.
Drugs
- What we’re doing about drugs - external site – plans, strategies, programs and research to reduce the harmful effects of drugs in Australia
- National Drug Strategy - external site
- Drug laws in Australia - external site - Learn about common drug offences, medicinal use of illicit drugs, drugs and driving, and workplace drug testing.
Alcohol
- What we’re doing about alcohol - external site - plans, strategies, programs and research to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol in Australia
- National Alcohol Strategy - external site
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategic Action Plan 2018–2028 - external site.
Smoking and tobacco
- What we're doing about smoking and tobacco - external site - plans, strategies, programs and research to reduce the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco in Australia
- National Tobacco Strategy - external site
- National Tobacco Campaign - external site.
Australian Federal Police (AFP)
Visit the AFP - external site to find information about:
- Drug crime - external site - The AFP has the lead role for the Australian Government relating to the detection and prosecution of persons who attempt to illegally import or export border-controlled substances into Australia.
- Strategies - external site - Effective border control through collaboration with domestic partner agencies such as the Australian Border Force, state and territory police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission is the primary line of defence for combating illegal importation into Australia.
Australian Border Force (ABF)
Visit ABF - external site to find information about:
- Prohibited goods - Drugs, medicines and therapeutic substances - external site - You can import or export most prohibited goods with written permission, provided you meet certain conditions and requirements.
- Border Watch program - external site.
State and territory legislation
You need to meet your own state or territory regulations as well as applying for our licences and permits. For example:
- some states have specific requirements or limitations for medicinal cannabis
- restrictions in the Northern Territory mean that kava may not be brought into this jurisdiction.
For illegal substances, common offences include:
- possession
- use
- cultivating or manufacturing
- importing or exporting
- selling or supplying (known as trafficking).
For more information on the penalties that apply in your state or territory, refer to specific state and territory legislation.
Australian Capital Territory
-
Medicinal Cannabis - external site
ACT Health medicinal cannabis scheme
New South Wales
- Health NSW - external site
- Cannabis and Cannabis Products for Therapeutic Purposes - external site
New South Wales Health - NSW Poppy Industry - external site
NSW Government Department of Primary Industries - NSW Hemp Industry - external site
NSW Government Department of Primary Industries
Northern Territory
- NT Health - external site
- Therapeutic medicines containing cannabinoids (medicinal cannabis) - external site
Information from NT Health -
Industrial hemp licences - external site
Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism -
Poppy Regulation Act - external site
Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism
Queensland
- QLD Health - external site
- Medicinal cannabis in Queensland - external site
Queensland Health - Medicinal cannabis trials - external site
- Growing industrial cannabis or hemp in Queensland - external site
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland
South Australia
- SA Health - external site
- Medicinal cannabis patient access in South Australia - external site
SA Health - Industrial hemp production in SA - external site
Department of Primary Industry and Regions - Alkaloid poppy production in South Australia - external site
Government of South Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regions
Tasmania
- Tasmanian Government Department of Health - external site
- Medicinal cannabis - external site
Tasmanian Department of Health -
Medicinal cannabis information for patients and the general public - external site
Tasmanian Department of Health -
Poppy Advisory and Control Board - external site
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania
Victoria
- VIC Health - external site
- Medicinal cannabis - external site
VIC Health information about health and legislation - Cannabis in Victoria - external site
Agriculture Victoria information - Commerical poppy crops in Victoria - external site
Agriculture Victoria information
Western Australia
- WA Health - external site
Links to the Western Australia Health site - Healthy WA – Cannabis - external site
Information for consumers about medicinal cannabis from WA Health -
Industrial hemp in Western Australia - external site
WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development