Health ministry launches public consultation on medical marijuana

The ministry of health has launched a public consultation on the regulations governing the production and use of medical cannabis.

Members of the public may send their feedback to the email address: [email protected].

The consultation period expires at 3pm on March 24, 2017.

The ministry said it will take into consideration the views and suggestions submitted in amending and finalizing the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Medical Cannabis) Regulations of 2017.

The current regulations are available at this link (Greek only):

http://www.moh.gov.cy/Moh/MOH.nsf/All/BB75CCC940F420E7C22580D50037EA60?OpenDocument

According to the regulations, medical cannabis will be grown at premises specially licensed for this purpose, and under guidelines ensuring the consistency of the content of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) and that the cannabis is free of bacteria, fungi, heavy metals and pesticides.

The regulations have safeguards in place to prevent abuse of medical cannabis. Only persons suffering from specific ailments will have access, and will need a prescription from a specialist physician.

Prescriptions will be handled by pharmacies, and individuals will be allowed a maximum amount of medical cannabis per month.

The regulations provide for checks of the amount of medical cannabis dispensed to each person per month.

They also cover imports and exports of medical cannabis.

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.