Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images.

Tony Abbott’s government has thrown its support behind a clinical trial of medical cannabis, with NSW Premier Mike Baird revealing overnight that a deal was struck at last Friday’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

NSW will lead the collaborative trial, with the support of the Commonwealth and other states and territories.

The health ministers discussed the issue of medicinal cannabis at their meeting, but reinforced opposition to the recreational use of cannabis and links to mental illness.

Premier Baird announced last month that the state government had formed a working group to set up the clinical trial, due to report back by the end of 2014.

“A NSW working group is already driving this reform and we welcome the support of the Commonwealth and the states and territories for the conduct of the trial,” he said.

“NSW is playing a leadership role but our historic agreement to work collaboratively on this significant issue means we have a far greater chance of success.”

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