Poppy company *can*t see threat* from medicinal cannabis trials in Tasmania (ABC)

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Another major player in Tasmania's poppy industry is baffled by the State Government's decision to knock back a bid for a trial of medical cannabis.

Tasman Health Cannabinoids had hoped to run a trial in conjunction with the University of Tasmania to use cannabis to treat nausea and lack of appetite in cancer patients.

Last week, key Tasmanian ministers came out against the plan, with Agriculture Minister Jeremy Rockliff saying he believed the trial would pose a threat to Tasmania's well-established poppy industry.

Mr Rockliff's father, poppy grower Rick Rockliff, said he could not see what threat a medicinal cannabis trial posed.

The chief executive of poppy processor TPI Enterprises, Jarrod Ritchie, has now taken a similar stance.

"I don't see any threat to the poppy industry. I see it as an opportunity for Tasmania," he said.

He also said there might "be a number of [opioid] companies who would be interested" in expanding into medicinal cannabis.

Parliamentary inquiry starts this week

A parliamentary inquiry into the medicinal use of cannabis in Tasmania will call for submissions this week.

On Friday Tasmania's Legislative Council backed a push for an inquiry by the Member for Murchison, Ruth Forrest.

Ms Forrest told 936 ABC Hobart the state's opium industry should make it easier to establish medicinal cannabis trials.

"We've got the runs on the board with the poppy industry growing opioids, which are more dangerous in their raw form than cannabis is," she said.

Health Minister Martin Ferguson has said he "remains unconvinced" of the advantages of growing cannabis for medical purposes, citing concerns about safety, security and the potential for social harm.

Ms Forrest said the process to consider the proposal was underway.

"We will now advertise in the newspapers at the end of this week for submissions on our committee website," she said.

"There will be an opportunity for people to access our terms of reference and provide written submissions, should they choose to."

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