Malta officially legalizes medical cannabis

Malta has officially legalized medical cannabis and approved the import of 15 kilograms of medical cannabis.

Amendments to the Drug Dependence Act (Treatment, Not Imprisonment) were enacted on March 26 in the Maltese Parliament following a third and final reading of the bill.

#Malta has officially legalized medical cannabis after recognizing the plant’s therapeutic benefits. We are proud that we have once again made our citizens’ health and dignity a top priority.

— Deo Debattista (@deodebattista) March 27, 2018

The new law will allow all doctors to prescribe medical cannabis to patients, who will be able to obtain cannabis at pharmacies with a prescription.

To date, three conditions are eligible for cannabis-based treatment: chronic pain, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, and the side effects of chemotherapy.

The island has also approved five cannabis production projects, she had been working on for some time. The total investment in these projects is 30 million euros, and is expected to create 185 new jobs.

Three of these projects are Canadian; the other two are Australian and Israeli.

The Maltese Minister of Economy welcomed the announcement.

One step closer to introducing a law regulating the production of cannabis for medical and research purposes, as committee discussions have concluded #Proud to spearhead this bill to create a new economic niche @JosephMuscat_JM @deodebattista @stefanzrinzo

— Chris Cardona (@ChrisCardonaMP) March 26, 2018

The ReLeaf organization also welcomes the legalization of medical cannabis.

«Maltese citizens can now benefit from the therapeutic opportunities offered by the cannabis plant with relatively few restrictions. Although there is still room for further clarification on issues such as the precise labeling of THC and CBD, or the need to better distinguish between THC- and CBD-based medications and CBD-only products, this is a positive step forward for the Maltese healthcare system as a whole.»

She also points out that the government must now ensure these medications remain accessible to patients at a reasonable price, and must put patients first when implementing this new law.

It’s a safe bet that new amendments will soon be added to this law: expanding the list of medical conditions that qualify for medical cannabis treatment, and authorizing patients to grow their own cannabis.