The German cabinet chose to approve the measure for seriously ill patients who have consulted with a doctor and “have no therapeutic alternative”, according to a health ministry statement.
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Gröhe also said he wants health insurance companies to cover costs if patients can’t be helped in any other way.
Health Minister Hermann Groehe stressed that it does not imply a general legalization of cannabis in Germany.
Canada legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2001, and the Liberal government is now working to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes nationwide as well. The move comes as a number of countries have begun loosening laws regarding marijuana use, both recreationally and medically, CNN reported. They would just need to have a prescription.
The German government has agreed to legalize medical marijuana for seriously ill patients in 2017, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
“Patients with chronic conditions seeking relief face unfair barriers due to the lack of proper medical research (into cannabis)”, said president and CEO Janet Yale. “At the same time, cannabis is not a harmless substance, a legalization for private pleasure is not the aim and goal of this”. Actually, there’s no information about from where it will be imported from or about the legal implications of importing marijuana.
Legislation to allow the cultivation of cannabis in Australia for medical or scientific purposes passed Federal Parliament in February. “It is intended for medical use only”, said Mortler.
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It’s known that in Germany it’s technically illegal to possess marijuana, but laws aren’t strictly enforced like in other European countries, and marijuana charges typically get dropped.
