Greens call for legalization of cannabis remedies

Greens call for legalization of cannabis medicines

28/06/2011

The medical use of cannabis should be greatly simplified according to the will of the parliamentary group of Alliance 90 / The Greens. Anyone who uses cannabis extract or the flowers of hemp plants to alleviate health problems should be exempted from prosecution. So far, the narcotics law stipulates that even with proven medical use, legal measures against the person concerned for the possession of the cannabis products are initiated.

The Greens want to change this with a new bill. In their current application (17/6127), they call for legalizing the medically indicated use of cannabis and thus freeing those affected from a legal gray area. Access to cannabis medicines should be significantly improved and the prosecution of those who are already burdened with health should be stopped, according to the Greens. To date, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has only approved the medical use and thus the authorization of cannabis extracts or cannabis flowers in absolute exceptional cases.

Simplify medical use of cannabis products
Medical access to cannabis medicines should be significantly simplified and exempted from narcotics criminal prosecution, according to the draft law of Alliance 90 / The Greens. So far, even in the case of medical indication of cannabis drugs, patients only receive approval from the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) for the purchase of cannabis extracts or cannabis blossoms via the pharmacy in absolutely exceptional cases, according to the Greens' explanation of their current bill , Although numerous studies clearly show that the cannabis drugs in severe diseases such as epilepsy, HIV, cancer, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain can bring significant improvements in the patients' interests, the legislation lags behind so far, explain the Greens in their application , In particular, the pain-reducing effect of cannabis drug was clearly proven and should also be considered in the case law. On the basis of the study results to date, a compilation of the medical recommendations for cannabis use must be made in order to allow a clear limitation of the legal use of cannabis. The cost of medication with cannabis products should then take over the health insurance after the will of the Greens.

Patients are re-offended by cannabis use
So far, the needy patients, the costs presented in the draft bill in the amount of 1,500 euros for the medically indicated use of cannabis drugs, have to carry themselves. In addition, the acquisition of cannabis products, such as dronabinol, cannabis flowers or cannabis extracts to date to the Narcotics Act (BtMG), so that the needy always move in a legal gray area or pursue criminally punishable acts. Not infrequently, despite medically related use of cannabis products against the patient criminal proceedings are initiated, the discontinuation of cannabis use is issued as a condition in its setting regularly. However, since those affected rely on the cannabis drugs to alleviate their health ailments, they find it difficult to dispense with them and would relatively often become repeat offenders in the legal sense, as outlined in the current Green Bill. Those affected face delicate fines and even imprisonment. According to Alliance 90 / The Greens, an intolerable condition, as patients would be unnecessarily burdened in addition to their already existing physical and mental suffering. (Fp)

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Picture credits: Susanne Schmich