Germany could create state cannabis agency for treating seriously-ill patients

Germany plans to set up a state cannabis agency to regulate the drug's cultivation and distribution to treat seriously-ill patients, according to a draft bill.

More pain sufferers would be given regulated access to the drug on prescription and paid for by their health insurance under measures outlined in a draft bill from the ministry of health and seen by German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. However, patients would still be prohibited from growing the drug themselves.

So far almost 400 pain sufferers in Germany have been legally authorised to obtain cannabis at their own expense, almost exclusively those suffering from terminal cancer, with the demand met through imports from the Netherlands, the newspaper reported.

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