Cannabis could be grown in Australia for medicinal purposes, if draft legislation tabled in parliament today is passed.

Health Minister Sussan Ley called the legislation "the missing piece in a patient's journey", and Labor and the Greens have indicated they will support the laws.

The draft laws would allow the cultivation of cannabis through a national licensing and permit scheme, thereby providing a safe, legal and sustainable supply of locally produced product, Ms Ley said.

"This is an important day for Australia and the many advocates who have fought long and hard to challenge the stigma around medicinal cannabis products," she said.

"Importantly, having a safe, legal and reliable source of products will ensure medical practitioners are now at the centre of the decision making process on whether medicinal cannabis may be beneficial for their patient.

"I sincerely hope the parliament can continue to work together to pass this legislation in a bipartisan fashion as quickly as possible in the interest of Australian patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis."

Research, including findings published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, has suggested that marijuana has some effectiveness in treating chronic pain.

However, there are concerns about side effects, and the issue of whether or not the treatment works remains a matter of debate around the world.

The government envisages that cannabis would only be made available to patients through a doctor's prescription or medical trial.

The legislation did not mean that legal recreational use of the drug was any closer, she said.