In our previous Blog article we have seen what the situation of recreational cannabis consumption was like in the different EU countries. In this new article we are going to explain the current situation of the therapeutic and medicinal use of this, in the different countries of the European Union.

Cannabis for medical use is increasingly available in EU countries, but it is a market that is still in the development phase.

Some countries have launched public pilot programs that could lead to greater access to medical marijuana, of which several studies have shown some therapeutic benefits for patients with cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain, among others.

So, in 2018 a pilot program came into effect in Denmark allowing doctors to prescribe products that were not previously legal in the country.

According to the Danish government "The purpose of the pilot program is to offer patients a legal way to try medical cannabis treatment if they have not experienced benefits from authorized medications.”.

In Ireland, a five-year pilot program was launched in 2019 to facilitate access to cannabis products for medical use in patients with multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and severe epilepsy.

France also started a medical cannabis pilot project in 2021 and the government medicines agency is currently defining more specific rules for future French production of medical cannabis products.

Although medical marijuana can be prescribed by a doctor in many countries, it can still be quite limited, as some countries import small quantities of the available medical products or do not have a program to source them.

In addition, while in the Czech Republic and Germany patients can receive reimbursement for medicinal cannabis, in other countries the cost is borne exclusively by the patient .

Many experts in the therapeutic cannabis sector clearly state that Europe has lagged behind Canada, Australia and the United States on this issue, since in many countries medicinal cannabis It is only used as a last resort therapy, when authorized medications have proven to be ineffective.

The European Parliament passed a resolution in 2019 calling for EU-wide rules on medicinal cannabis and more scientific research on the matter.

Changes in international legal status

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted in 2020 to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, where it had been classified along with opioids and heroin.

Schedule IV drugs are subject to further controls, including a prohibition on "production, manufacture, export and import, trade, possession or use of any such drugs", consider them without therapeutic benefits.

The removal of cannabis from this list opened the international door to the recognition of its possible medical uses.

The only EU country that voted against removing cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 convention was Hungary.

Last year, the European Commission even took Hungary to the EU Court of Justice over this vote, stating that it went against the European bloc's position.

Hungary is one of the few EU countries where cannabis remains illegal for both recreational and medical use.

But even in areas where doctors can prescribe medical marijuana, access may be limited.

In Sweden, for example, for recreational use there is no difference between hard and soft drugs, which means that cannabis and heroin are classified as narcotics, with a zero tolerance policy towards them. drugs in the country.

Medical marijuana is only allowed in specific circumstances approved by the Swedish Medical Products Agency and a doctor.

In recent years, however, laws have evolved towards a more lenient stance towards the drug in general, with countries reducing penalties for possession and becoming more open to its possible medical or therapeutic use.

Spain is different

A separate case is that of Spain which, as can be seen in the map that illustrates this article, is in limbo without any type of plan or approved legislation on the use of medicinal cannabis.

This question is very shocking, since many of the countries mentioned above, such as France, Ireland or Sweden, have very restrictive legislation in reference to the recreational or recreational use of said substance and, on the other hand, they have already taken firm steps. for the decriminalization and regulation of its medicinal use.

It is very curious that in our country its use for personal consumption is tolerated and decriminalized and on the other hand its medicinal use today is still in legal limbo, waiting for the possible Royal Decree to be approved in the Spanish Parliament. presented, in October of last year, by the Ministry of Health on the regulation of the therapeutic use of cannabis in our country.

But what can you expect from a country, where the right wing of the P.P. and VOX vote against the interests of citizens, overturning decree laws that seek to revalue pensions, or lower the cost of public transportation. Well, as you might expect, unfortunately, nothing good. ☹