In a historic vote on Wednesday, the Australian Parliament agreed to initiate amendments to the nation's Narcotic Drugs Act, making the cultivation and use of medical marijuana fully legal in the country, according to Metro News.
Thus, for the first time in the history of the country, cannabis can now be legally grown. However, the legal cultivation and use of the controversial plant only apply to those which are grown for medical and scientific purposes.
Despite the milestone achieved by the Parliament ruling, recreational marijuana remains illegal in the country, reports CNN.
Notably, the Parliament's decision comes exactly a year after Daniel Haslam, a 25-year-old terminal bowel cancer patient, lost his battle against the disease. During Haslam's stay in the hospital, he used medical marijuana to ease his pain and nausea, making his last days much more bearable.
After his death, his mother, Lucy, founded an advocacy group called United for Compassion, which petitioned for the Australian government to make the medical use of marijuana legal, reports The International Business Times.
In a statement to the Parliament on Wednesday, Australian Sen. Richard Di Natale brought up Haslam's story, especially how medical marijuana helped him during his final days.
"It is incredibly fitting that today we are passing this bill which is one step towards making medicinal cannabis accessible to people like Dan. Thank you to Lucy for everything you have done. Please know that your family's grief, pain and suffering has not been in vain and this is a legacy that Dan will leave here in Parliament," the senator said.
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