(CNN) - The Australian Parliament passed a measure Wednesday legalizing medical marijuana. The amendments to the Narcotic Drugs Act will allow cannabis to be legally grown for medical and scientific purposes for the first time in Australia.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is pushing for the legalization of cannabis and other personal drugs. However, he said in a recent article, regulations must be put in place by governments to curtail abuse.

CANBERRA, Australia — Australian lawmakers committed on Wednesday to legalize the growing of marijuana for medical use within a part of the world renowned for zero-tolerance and harsh penalties for illegal drugs.

Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico opened on Tuesday a national debate on prohibitionist marijuana laws, as the government appeared open to legalizing medical cannabis use.

Israel could be just six months away from allowing general practitioners to prescribe cannabis, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said Wednesday.

Latin America's largest medicinal marijuana farm was formally inaugurated on Tuesday, marking another step in the region's growing acceptance of therapeutic uses for the formerly illegal plant.

Israel’s Health Ministry is moving ahead on a comprehensive plan on medical cannabis that would lift many restrictions that currently make life difficult for patients, doctors, growers and marketers of the plant.

It's a tough time to be a Mexican pot farmer. The price of marijuana has been plummeting partly because of the loosening of laws in parts of the US — encouraging growth of more high-end pot in America.

Colombia's president has signed a decree fully legalizing medical marijuana in a shift away from preventing drug crop production.