News

Medical use is the most common motivation for Australian small-scale cannabis growers and is much more common here than in most other countries, according to preliminary research findings released recently by NDRI.

Early findings of the second international survey on cannabis cultivation, based on 440 Australian responses to the question ‘Why do you grow cannabis?’, show:

• Three quarters (74%) said ‘to provide myself with medical cannabis’ and one quarter (25%) said for other’s medical use;
• Half (48%) said to avoid contact with criminals;
• 60% grow to provide themselves with cannabis for recreational use;
• About half believe the cannabis they grow is healthier than the cannabis they can buy (54%) and because ‘the cannabis I grow will never contain adulterants’ (45%);
• Very few report growing ‘so I can sell it’ (6%).

NDRI researchers are conducting the Australian arm of the international study, with colleagues from RMIT and UNSW, which is running in almost 20 countries.

The survey is still open and cannabis growers can have their say by anonymously sharing their experiences, motivations and views on cannabis policy here.