By William Stash Jones

Oregon Cannabis Connection

The nation of Greece joined the large number of nations to legalize medical marijuana on June 30, 2017. The Mediterranean country’s health minister set up a scientific committee to study the concept of cannabis legalization in July, 2016. They made proposals in April to implement the changes.

Health Minister Andreas Xanthos issued a Common Ministerial Decision to start the process. The Health Ministry will begin implementation as fast as possible, but they admitted there are a number of administrative rules that must first be implemented.

The new rules are expected to provide for cannabis medicines to be produced and packaged in Greece, which should provide for a new industry in the fiscally beleaguered nation. The use and production of cannabis medicine is already allowed in a number of European and Mediterranean nations, including Germany, Israel and the Czech Republic.

Referring to the official Joint Ministerial Decision of the Ministers of Health and Justice, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in a statement, “Starting today, the country turns a page as Greece is now included with the countries that provide medical cannabis for patients who’s need is legitimate.”

Medical cannabis will only be allowed for treating certain chronic illnesses, such as chronic pain, neuropathic pain, nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, cachexia, anorexia and others. A doctors recommendation will be required to obtain the medicine.

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