Today, German court Bundestag passed a law to legalise cannabis drug for medicinal purposes. The law is to come under effect in March.

“Seriously ill people must be treated in the best ways possible”((de)) said the German health minister Hermann Gröhe. Doctors can prescribe marijuana or cannabis for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, severe pain, loss of appetite or nausea from cancer’s chemotherapy treatment.

This law, would still prevent use of cannabis to use for recreational purpose or smoke joints Christian Democrat’s (CDU) law maker Rainer Hayek said. The cost of cannabis is to be covered in the health insurance. Patients can buy cannabis extracts from pharmacy holding the prescription or get synthetic derivatives from other countries though possession of the drug in large quantities is not allowed.

Cannabis cultivation is to be monitored by the government. Germany has joined other European countries including Austria, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Netherlands to legalise the drug to certain extent.

In October, a 53-year-old multiple sclerosis patient showed cannabis was the only solution to reduce his pain, and the court granted him the permission to grow as much as 130 plants in one year for personal use. Cannabis extracts costed about €15 (US$ 16.85) per gram then.

Source: wikinews.org

Wikinews