Pain therapy: seriously ill people are allowed to grow cannabis

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MunichCannabis falls under the Narcotics Act and is therefore illegal. But not for people with chronic pain: in exceptional cases, they are now even allowed to grow the plant at home, this has now been decided by the administrative court in Cologne.

In patients with chronic nerve pain, common pain therapies often simply don't work. However, cannabis can alleviate the symptoms in some cases. In addition, the drug lifts the mood and improves the sleep quality of those affected. So far, cannabis flowers for therapeutic consumption have been available on prescription in pharmacies. Nevertheless, many health insurances do not cover the costs for such a therapy - and it can be really expensive: cannabis costs up to 1,500 euros per month for some pain patients. Many cannot afford it.

Hemp plants on the balcony

That is why five men who suffer from chronic pain and were allowed to purchase cannabis in pharmacies have now sued. You want to grow hemp plants yourself at home. The court decided: three of them must get approval from the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) to grow up to 25 hemp plants in their own four walls. The other two plaintiffs did not meet all the criteria: In one case, the pain patient's two-room apartment was too small. "Secure cultivation is not possible there," said a judge. Because a defense cabinet must be purchased for each plant to ensure that no unauthorized person can use it. In the second rejected case, the patient had not yet exhausted all the alternatives of pain therapy. Another condition of the judges: A pain patient who wants to grow hemp plants for personal use must provide evidence that he cannot finance the therapy.

Long-term effects and side effects in the dark

The positive effect of cannabis on pain patients has been proven in various studies: For example, Canadian researchers were able to show in a smaller study with 21 test persons that the main active ingredient of the drug (tetrahydrocannabinol) actually helps against chronic nerve pain. Nevertheless, nothing is known about long-term effects, and there are few studies on the possible side effects. The representatives of the defendant federal institute therefore speak of great risks. It is possible that the plaintiffs were producing a questionable drug. In addition, the cultivation is not compatible with international law. (away)

Source: Cologne Administrative Court: Growing cannabis for therapeutic purposes can be approved in individual cases, July 22, 2014

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