Croatia Legalizes Medical Cannabis
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]M[/dropcap]edical cannabis became available by prescription for chronic illnesses in Croatia Thurs, Oct. 15. The country’s Health Ministry has cautioned that growing at home remains a crime and that it must be prescribed by doctors. According to Croatia’s Health Minister, cannabis would be sold in pharmacies in a matter of weeks.
Croatia is the European Union’s youngest member nation. The country legalized medical cannabis following a drawn out debate started by Huanito Luksetic, a multiple sclerosis patient who was arrested near the village of Rijeka with 44 lbs of cannabis for the production of cannabis oil. Luksetic used the cannabis oil to make daily life bearable. Luksetic’s case is credited with attracting the attention of the media and spawning Croatia’s successful cannabis debate.
“For us, patients, cannabis is one of the most important plants for our lives and health,” Luksetic told Agence France-Press, adding, “Everyone should have the right to [choose] and self-cure.” The Croatian media has stated that no medicines containing THC have been registered yet.
Eastern Europe is notorious for high cannabis prices. Illegal cannabis in the Croatian market can cost a whopping €300-600 ($343-$686) for ten grams. Strangely, the regulations limit personal possession to 0.75 grams of THC per month, which some say amounts to about only 7.5 grams per month. Cannabis will be prescribed to those with severe illnesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV.
“According to information that we have from wholesale drugstores, quite a lot of them are interested in importing (cannabis-derived products) to Croatia,” Health Minister Sinisa Varga, said. Currently cannabis will not be available in markets, but through eight pharmaceutical companies. Croatia now joins the European’s elite group of countries – Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands – to allow some form of legal cannabis.
