Cannabis-in-brief: Europe told to clear way for reform, Germany’s draft law and Spain’s uncertainty over medical access

Each Friday we bring you the headlines you might have missed from the week just gone.

The top lines this week: Officials in Europe have been told to clear the way for continental cannabis reform, as Germany publishes its draft law for the first phase of legalisation and Spain’s Health Minister confirms regulations for medical cannabis won’t be published before the upcoming general election.

Meanwhile in the UK, a new parliamentary motion is urging policymakers to allow GPs the same prescribing rights as specialist doctors and data from Canada shows increasing numbers of women are turning to cannabis to manage symptoms of menopause. 

Read on for more…

Germany publishes draft law for first phase of cannabis reform 

After months of speculation, and a few stumbling blocks, German officials have released a draft bill setting out the first pillar of their plans to reform its policy on adult-use cannabis.

If approved, the bill will see cannabis removed from the Narcotics Act and regulated under the newly-proposed Cannabis Act (CanG)

Pillar 1 of the Cannabis Act intends to legalise the ‘private cultivation of cannabis by adults for their own consumption’, as well as ‘communal, non-commercial cultivation’ of cannabis through associations.

In what some have described as an ‘optimistic’ timeline, ministers are hoping to gain approval from the cabinet during the summer break, with a view to introducing the law by the end of the year.

Read our key takeaways here 

Spain’s medical cannabis regulation in jeopardy

Patients in Spain have been left ‘devastated’ by ‘unfulfilled promises’, as the Health Minister confirms the country won’t see medical cannabis regulation before the upcoming election.

Speaking to local media, Spain’s Health Minister, José Miñones, has said that the government is still working on the regulation of medical cannabis, but it is unlikely to be in place before the general election in July.

It’s now over 12 months since the Health Committee of the Spanish Congress of Deputies approved a subcommittee’s draft report setting out a list of recommendations for the regulation of cannabis-derived medicines for therapeutic use.

Advocates working on behalf of medical cannabis patients and the industry have expressed concern that if the legislation is not passed in time, the country’s more conservative political parties, who are generally opposed to the regulation of cannabis of any kind, may put a stop to it all together.

Read more 

Parliamentary motion calls for GPs to prescribe cannabis

An ‘early day motion’ (EDM) has been tabled in Parliament calling for GPs to have the same rights to prescribe cannabis as specialist doctors in the hopes of opening up access for patients.

Motion EDM 1410, tabled by Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, comes following the launch of the Protect Our Patients campaign, led by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC), urging regulators to allow GPs to prescribe to their patients.

The CIC is now calling on the cannabis sector to contact their local MP to urge them to sign the EDM. 

Read more and find out how you ask your MP for support here 

European Commission told to clear the way for continental cannabis reform

Members of the European Parliament have called for the continent’s regulators to clear a pathway for wholesale cannabis reform.

For the first time in its history the European Parliament held a debate on cannabis in a session called the ‘Legalisation of Personal Use of Cannabis: Exchange of Best Practices’.

The event had been co-sponsored by four of the seven main European political blocks representing almost 50% of the Parliament’s 705 elected members.

Held in the Brussels headquarters, it was chaired by Irish politician Luke Flanagan, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), who sent the following message to the European Union’s regulatory overlords the European Commission.

“The importance of this gathering is not so much what we can get the European Commission to do, it’s more to see that they don’t get in the way and hinder this process… As MEPs we cannot directly change the law but what we can do is make sure that for any state looking to go down this route, it is made as easy as possible.”

Read more

Survey finds many women turn to cannabis during menopause

According to new research, Canadian women frequently report consuming cannabis products to ease symptoms related to menopause.

Despite a lack of clinical evidence on cannabis specifically in menopause and perimenopause, women are increasingly reporting that it helps manage some of the common symptoms including sleep, anxiety and pain. 

Researchers at the University of Alberta surveyed nearly 1,500 women aged 35 or older. Data was collected on their demographics, menopause status and symptoms, cannabis usage and how they perceived cannabis..

Analysis showed that 34% of women were currently using cannabis, with 66% indicating they had used it in the past. 

Read more about cannabis and menopause 

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• Parliamentary motion calls for GPs to prescribe cannabis – ask your MP for support
• Germany’s draft law for first phase of cannabis reform – key takeaways
• New UK campaign calls for GPs to prescribe medicinal cannabis
• Albania takes step closer to legalising medical cannabis cultivation
• Germany’s official plans for cannabis legalisation a ‘victory’ for consumers