Spanish Congress to debate the legalization of medical cannabis

The Spanish Parliament is set to convene this week to debate the legalization of medical cannabis. The country is in a situation where The United Kingdom also experienced this before legalizing, which produces medical cannabis but does not allow its domestic patients access to it.

Next Wednesday, February 16, the subcommittee of the Congressional Health and Consumer Affairs Committee will meet for the first time to discuss the possibility of finally legalizing medical cannabis in Spain.

According to the Spanish Observatory on Medical Cannabis (OECM), the debate will be «the first step on this path that began in June,», during the formation of the subcommittee.

The debate will conclude with a report presenting the scientific evidence of the effectiveness of medical cannabis, which will be sent to the government for review. In theory, the legalization of medical cannabis could be approved before summer.

Meanwhile, the OEMC stresses that the decision should not be delayed beyond the current legislative session, amid concerns that the debate isn't put off indefinitely.

Manuel Guzman, vice president of the OECM, said, «We believe it is urgent that, during this legislative session, we establish a medical regulation program based on existing evidence.»

The OECM will present the results of its two formal objectives, which were established at the time of its creation:

• analyze the experiences of other governments that have regulated access to medical cannabis
• produce a report containing recommendations on best practices for the regulation of medical cannabis in Spain

At least 300,000 patients in Spain could benefit from medical marijuana. As Manuel Guzman says: «We are talking about patients suffering from serious and severely debilitating conditions who deserve humane treatment. Patients people with cancer, neurological disorders, including pain of varying degrees, the fibromyalgia and chronic insomnia.»

20minutos also reports Carola Perez, director of the OECM, stated: «The patient must be at the center—the patient and their rights—which is why we must take this into account, as we have been in a state of uncertainty for years.»