THE West Australian premier continues to consider the benefits of medical marijuana, but says he will not open the floodgates for recreational use.

Colin Barnett said he favoured the use of medical marijuana in terminal cases and for people in severe pain, and he would continue to monitor current trials of the drug in NSW.

“I’m not going to sort of open the gates so that marijuana can be more freely available, but there is no doubt that there is enough evidence from individual cases, that in a range of conditions, it does provide relief from pain and makes life more tolerable for people who are suffering a lot,” Mr Barnett told 96FM.

On Wednesday, the Turnbull government introduced into parliament legislation allowing the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes through a national licensing scheme.

Camera Icon WA Labor Party has backed the use of medical marijuana. Credit: Getty Images

The WA Labor Party made its support of medical marijuana the centrepiece of the state branch annual conference in 2014.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan said spray or tablet-form cannabinoids were a compassionate and intelligent solution to the pain, vomiting, nausea and poor appetite endured by people who were terminally or chronically ill.