Denmark proposes to test medical cannabis for 4 years

Under this proposal, Danish doctors would have the right to prescribe medical cannabis if conventional treatments fail to help patients.

The Danish government is considering a four-year pilot program that would allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis. The cannabis would be distributed in the form of oil or in a form suitable for vaporizers.

Denmark’s Minister of Health, Sophie Løhde, presented this measure to Parliament on Tuesday, June 7. This pilot program follows a push by a majority of Danish lawmakers who want better access to medical cannabis for their citizens. For four years, each doctor will be free to decide how a patient should be treated.

Congresswoman Liselott Blixt declares that «significant progress» has been made on behalf of patients. She also adds, «How much will this cost? And how many patients will be eligible for these substitution therapies? To me, it’s important that access to medical cannabis isn’t limited to the terminally ill. Let’s start with the issues right in front of us.»

Inspired by the German model, the National Medical Agency will be responsible for distributing the treatments. This agency will verify whether patients meet the necessary criteria for access to the treatments: multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, spinal cord injury, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and nausea associated with chemotherapy. It is estimated that 1,500 patients could be eligible for these new treatments.

«We're drawing on the experiences of Dutch doctors.»

The other major issue the Medical Agency must address is: Where will the medical cannabis come from?

While the Bedrocan is on the verge of running out of stock Due to rising demand in Europe, Danish authorities may turn to Canada. Another member of parliament argues that the challenge will not be where to buy cannabis, but how much these imports will cost the Danish economy. For the estimated 1,500 patients, the daily treatment cost would be 40 kroner (€5.4). Denmark is therefore set to spend nearly 20 million Danish kroner, or approximately 2.7 million euros.

Prices would be lower if other pharmaceutical companies had the right to produce medical cannabis. Would it be worth it for Denmark to develop its own production capacity for a 4-year trial?

Théo Caillart