On a back country road in northern NSW, up a nondescript dirt driveway, sits a highly secret facility.
Surrounded by strict security, thousands of cannabis plants are being carefully cultivated in state-of-the-art greenhouses for the medicinal cannabis market.
Australian Natural Therapeutics Group CEO, Matthew Cantelo, surrounded by cannabis that is about to be harvested.CREDIT:JANIE BARRETT
The Australian Natural Therapeutics Group facility, near Armidale, is about to start producing medicinal cannabis oil on a commercial scale – the first such manufacturing licence granted in the state.
The company’s chief executive Matthew Cantelo said he had noticed quite a large increase of approvals under the Special Access Scheme, as well as a rise in the number of authorised prescribers.
“[That] tells us that doctors are having more confidence in the safety and efficacy of the products,” he said.
“Also, the research is catching up.”
Professor Iain McGregor, from the Lambert Initiative…
