This comes after the state government told a Legislative Council inquiry this week that it was open to trials and potential use of medicinal cannabis in Tasmania.

Political opponents have labelled the inquiry submission a backflip, given Health Minister Michael Ferguson rejected Tasman Health Cannabinoids' proposal to grow and trial medicinal cannabis in July.

Dr Washer said he was surprised by the government's submission, as Mr Ferguson seemed opposed to any trial when they met to discuss TasCann's proposal.

But Mr Ferguson said he was supportive of a trial, subject to a proper evidence-based approach, strong local regulatory framework and appropriate approvals from national regulators.

Dr Washer said TasCann's proposal did not meet that criteria.

"To get proper evidence-based medicines you need to be able to do a proper trial in Australia, and to do that you need to be able to grow the product for the trial," Dr Washer said.

He said the organisation had now set its sights on Norfolk Island, despite the island's administrator cancelling their licence to grow.

"He wasn't happy with our initial submission . . . so we're working on helping them get a good submission for the administrator in the hope it's accepted," Dr Washer said.

"That doesn't mean to say we wouldn't love to come back to Tasmania . . . but at the moment we're at Norfolk and we've got to get another submission to Norfolk and get that approved and that will be for export to Canada."