Germany Open Discussions to Legalize Medical Cannabis

In an historic moment for Europe’s most populous nation, the German government have opened up discussion regarding a bill that would see cannabis legalised for patients with specific medical conditions.

The bill, which focused on enabling patients a “full guarantee of access to medical cannabis” would come into effect in early 2017, if discussions were successful. The significance of these discussion is monumental. In Germany, once a draft bill enters parliament for debate, it must result in binding legalisation.

The German Health Minister Herman Gröhe, who has been campaigning for this bill to enter parliament for some time now, spoke to the press after the first round of discussions:

“Seriously ill people must be cared for in the best possible way — this is my commitment. We want the cost of medical cannabis to be covered by [patients’] health insurance when they can’t be helped otherwise. We also want to get scientific surveys underway to assess the medical benefits accurately.”

However, while talks regarding the medical use of cannabis were positive, recreational cannabis will not be considered, after the government’s drug commissioner, Marlene Mortler, dismissed the idea wholeheartedly:

“The focus of the federal government’s drug policy are not Zeitgeist, prejudices or ideologies. To us, this is about human beings and their health! Public health is at the heart of our cannabis policy, and that is exactly why I say no to recreational use of cannabis.”

More to Follow

MedicalMarijuana

With an international team of writers and over a decade of experience in the industry, MedicalMarijuana.co.uk aim to bring you the very latest in Medical Cannabis news from across the globe.