The experimentation of the therapeutic use of cannabis voted by the French National Assembly is to begin early 2020.
It appears like the authorities do not wish to lose any time. Starting next year, some people will be prescribed cannabis to calm their pain. We are, more precisely, talking about people suffering from grave diseases like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or the side-effects of chimiotherapy. According to Olivier Véran, the LREM deputy who initiated the amendment, it concerns around 3000 people.
A Very strictly supervised distribution
For now, it seems like this test will very thoroughly watched. In order to get medicinal weed one would need to get a hospital prescription delivered by a specialized doctor, who will be assigned to state on the positive and negative effects of the treatment. At first, patients will get their cannabis from the hospital and then in classical drugstores. Several ways of consuming it will authorized, from smoking it to drinking it infused. We must remind our readers that cannabis-based medecine is tolerated since 2013.
However Sativex is not yet commercialized and another drug for epilepsy has been waiting for an authorization since december 2018. A scandal, knowing that these drugs could have relieved many patients wich were de facto forced to buy from street dealers.
A green light given by the ANSM for several months
With this amendment the deputies follow the ANSM (national agency oh the security of drugs and health products) who gave her approval last summer. An expert’s commettee was assembled to juge the therapeutic interest of cannabis and study the modalities of an experimentation. At last, Bertrand Rambaud, member of this committee, declares on France Bleu : «About time !». We wouldn’t have said it better
Vincent