Victorian children with severe epilepsy will take part in an international clinical trial examining the medicinal benefits of synthetic cannabis.

Key points: Children with severe epilepsy will take part in cannabis trial

Children with severe epilepsy will take part in cannabis trial The 10 participants must have unsuccessfully tried 3 anti-epileptic drugs

The 10 participants must have unsuccessfully tried 3 anti-epileptic drugs The trial is partly funded by the Victorian Government

The trial is partly funded by the Victorian Government Parliament will debate legalising Victorian-grown medicinal cannabis

Ten children will initially be involved in the Austin Health trial, which will focus on finding the right dose of the drug developed by an American pharmaceutical company.

Austin Health's Professor Ingrid Scheffer said there were anecdotal reports of medicinal cannabis easing the suffering of epileptic children, but doctors did not know how effective it was.

"What we need is definite answers," she said.

"I hope it works and I hope it will help lots of the children I look after with severe epilepsy."

Under the trial, some patients will receive the synthetic cannabidiol, which comes in a liquid form, and others a placebo.

After three months, all of the participants will be given the drug and the data analysed to see if it made a difference.

Professor Scheffer said the use of a synthetic form of the drug meant researchers could be certain about what their patients were taking.

"This will be very pure, we'll know what they'll get and we'll know if it works and that's the answer we want - does this really help?" she said.

Synthetic cannabis different to party drug

The synthetic cannabis also differs to the dangerous recreational form of the drug that has been linked to the deaths of party-goers.

"THC is the psychoactive component and that's the part that's used at parties and to get high," Professor Scheffer said.

"We're not giving THC, and that's another reason the synthetic compound is exciting."

To be eligible to take part in the trial, children must have tried three anti-epileptic dugs that have failed to treat their condition.

Nicholas Johnson, 14, hopes to be one of those chosen to take part in the study.

He suffers from Double Cortex Syndrome and has potentially dangerous seizures every day, with spasms lasting up to 30 minutes.

His mother D'Lene Johnson said he had tried the spectrum of medications available for childhood epilepsy, but his seizures were becoming more frequent.

"It's hard to monitor when it's going to happen, but certainly we're planning our day around his seizure activity," she said.

"This trial is certainly something we're hoping will be our success story.

"We're very hopeful that it means we can have a seizure-free life."

Professor Scheffer said she saw many families who resorted to sourcing their own backyard tinctures - liquid extracts from cannabis - in a desperate bid to help their child.

"Some are getting it from overseas, others are getting it from people's backyard, others are growing it themselves, but there are absolutely no checks and balances," she said.

"We don't know what they're getting, we don't know whether it's got a lot of THC which could be damaging the child's brain, so these trials are essential for good medicine."

If the trial is successful, doctors hope patients will be able to take the drug for many years.

Researchers later plan to hold specific drug trials for Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes.

Government part-funding medicinal cannabis trial

The Victorian Government is contributing $150,000 to the trial.

A Victorian Marijuana industry will be created to supply medicinal cannabis products. ( AFP: Alfredo Estrella )

It has already embarked on a state-based cannabis cultivation trial as part of its push to legalise marijuana to treat serious medical conditions including epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and chronic pain.

The Parliament will debate a bill to legalise Victorian-grown medicinal cannabis next week.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he had seen firsthand how the drug could change lives.

"No family should ever have to choose between breaking the law and watching their child suffer," he said.