While recreational use of marijuana is still not decriminalized in Germany, the health minister, Hermann Gröhe, said Tuesday May 3, that the new law will allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana from spring of next year 2017.
Legal changes could get cannabis will be more accessible for those patients who will need medical treatment, and ensure that public health services take over the payment of medication.
“Without wishing to pre-judge the work of the Bundestag, it is likely that the law will come into force in the spring of 2017” Hermann Gröhe told to German newspaper Die Welt
The plan includes scientific studies that will be conducted among critically ill patients to know, exactly, what are the effects of cannabis on medical treatment.
Cannabis Associations criticizes Health Minister
But the idea of the renewal of the law, which must still be voted by the German representatives, has sparked controversy among associations that are in favor of decriminalizing cannabis.
These associations have protested since the minister’s proposal seems inadequate. Currently in Germany those patients who need medical cannabis have to pay a high price to get treatment at pharmacies.
Besides these associations have criticized that most cannabis for medical treatments are being imported from Netherlands because, at this moment, and until the new law of Health Ministry will be approved, there is no enough legal soil and farming places for planting medicinal marijuana in Germany.
The news is encouraging, and start positive changes in the future for the legalization of cannabis in Germany.
