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Medical Marijuana Now On Sale in Czech Pharmacies

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #778)

Medical marijuana became legal Monday in the Czech Republic and is now available for sale in pharmacies. Monday was part of the Easter holiday there, so it didn't actually go on sale until Tuesday.

Medical marijuana is available by prescription only and has been okayed for people suffering from cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis.

Medical marijuana is being imported -- either from Israel or the Netherlands -- for the first year, while the State Institute for Drug Control prepares regulations for national production. It must determine how much marijuana will need to be cultivated and organize tenders for marijuana purchases from Czech farmers. The regulatory body intends to issue licenses to local growers for a maximum of five years each.

Allowing the sale of medical marijuana is in line with the Czech Republic's overall soft stance toward soft drugs. Non-medical pot smokers can possess up to a half-ounce and grow five plants without facing criminal sanctions.

Other European countries that allow for medical marijuana use include Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. It is also legal in 18 US states and the District of Columbia.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

mexweeds (not verified)

After sifting herb through #1/16" screening to eliminate twig cellulose (for the tea POT) and seeds (for the flower POT) and reduce all usable herb to a uniform particle size which vaporizes readily, half an ounce yields 450 or more single vape tokes (25 mg each) in a #40-screened one-hitter with a long flexible drawtube permitting you to see what you're doing during the vape toke heating operation.  I can't speak for medical users with large reported needs, but as an inspirational user (in pursuit of creative handwork ideas) I rarely need more than ten tokes in any pair of days so that half ounce would last me at least a quarter year. 

Unfortunately there is a practice in Europe of rolling cannabis into joints, sometimes mixed with $igarette tobacco, which may account for the surprising fact that America with under 20% has LESS nicotine addiction today than any European country (and they are led by Greece with over 40%).  It's time for the CR, along with its neighbors, to review the present situation that results in children being led by dubious "mentors" into drug slavery involving "legal" but well-lobbied-for nicotine tobacco (the nicotine-infested joint has been compared to a "Trojan horse" by the Australian Department of Health).  Every child should know what a vaporizer is, and how to vaporize with a one-hitter, how to serve 25-mg single tokes and thus immunized, avoid HBOM Hot Burning Overdose Monoxide $igarette rollup paper altogether.

Wed, 04/03/2013 - 10:12pm Permalink
Caligari (not verified)

hi, just a clarification about the Italian law.

medical marijuana in Italy is fully prohibited.

only few regions, for the most part located in the north of Italy,

has decided that drug containing synthetic cannabinoid MAY

be administered but it's still just a theoretical option.,

the recreational law, even if  a ballot in the 90s

stated that Italy wants a liberalization, was hardened few years ago

under the Berlusconi neo/teo-cons government.

if you get caught you could lost your own  driving license

and your own passport. no jail time anyway and

getting caught is difficult but driving because simple recreational use

isn't the main priority but in very small towns.

i apologize for my english but writing about legal issues in a

foreign language is quite difficult to me.

by the way, i think that only the us legalization could stop the prohibition in the rest of the world

so keep fighting for it.

i also have two questions:

1) wouldn't it be better a strategy first try to decriminalize and the legalize? states as Michigan, Vermont , New Hampshire, Montana, Arizona, etc, should concentrate their own efforts to reach first an easier goal and then the real thing. IMO

2) it seems to me that the California legalization movement is pretty sleeping in the last 2 years. am i wrong? a state with 55 presidential electors should be the most active even after the failure of Proposition 19. i don't want to be misunderstood, i have the most respect for the California leg. movement.

That's all, greetings from Italy

Sat, 04/06/2013 - 7:45am Permalink
Caligari (not verified)

The Italian Supreme Court

has stated that growing one single plant is not

a criminal offense but it's a misdemeanor equal to the possession of few grams.

in the regions that have theoretically authorized medical cannabis

the patient that grows few more plants, if caught by the police

and put under trial, may defend himself proving that he is

badly ill. indeed medical cannabis can be prescribed

only for diseases as  terminal cancer or aids.

bye!

Sat, 04/06/2013 - 8:10am Permalink
Drew B (not verified)

Any details on pricing?

Denying it being grown there is ironic as I was there last summer and clearly saw fields of poppies being grown not far from the roadway. With no fences between the road and the field!

That they think they know the needs and use rates before hand is potentially problematic.

Thu, 04/18/2013 - 2:27am Permalink

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