The federal parliament this week passed legislation that will allow patients access to medicinal cannabis legally cultivated and manufactured in Australia.

Launceston woman Lyn Cleaver provides her son Jeremy Bester with medicinal cannabis, and said the laws should allow the option of growing plants at home.

‘‘We’re really impressed that Australia can grow its own cannabis, that’s a really good step forward,’’ Ms Cleaver said.

‘‘For us personally, and Tasmanians that want to use cannabis, it doesn’t offer any protection.

‘‘It’s very restrictive, it doesn’t really help us at all,’’ she said.

Ms Cleaver said she had concerns with relying on a supplied product.

‘‘Most of us have already done the research for our loved ones,’’ she said.

‘‘There’s no guarantee that what the government offers will be suitable for their type of condition.

‘‘If people want to home grow, they should be allowed to do that.’’

St Mary’s woman Hannah Rubenach grows the plant to treat her brother who suffers from epilepsy.

‘‘We’re pleased the government has accepted that cannabis is medicine that works,’’ Ms Rubenach said.

‘‘But we have huge concerns regarding how we will be able to access it.

‘‘It’s still illegal for us to grow and use the medicine in the way that we know works – we’re very worried we’ll end up with an inferior medicine,’’ she said.

But Somerset woman Vanessa Neilson said the law had the potential to change her six-year-old son Toby’s life.

Toby has severe cerebral palsy and can have up to 20 hours of seizures in a day.

‘‘We’re pretty happy that [the legislation] has passed now, it’s going to be a while before it’s readily available but it’s a step in the right direction,’’ Mrs Neilson said.

‘‘It has the potential to completely control his seizures without any medication, it has potential to completely change his life and stop him from being so dopey all the time,’’ she said.

Premier Will Hodgman said the government was considering whether it would need to introduce complementary legislation at a state level.

A medicinal cannabis forum is being held in Launceston on March 5.