German Health Organizations Support Medical Marijuana

[Puffin13]

German Health Organizations Support Medical Marijuana
by Bruce Mirken

In preparation for a parliamentary hearing scheduled for October 15, a coalition of German health organizations, including the German AIDS Support Society, the German Society for Pain Therapy, and the German Epilepsy Association, have issued a statement calling on the government to facilitate access to medical cannabis for patients without threat of prosecution. The Berlin Declaration, as it’s called, is in German, but the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine has provided the following translation:

“In 1998 a coalition of medical societies, self-help groups and notabilities from politics, science and culture postulated in the ’Frankfurt Resolution’ that the medical use of cannabis should be permitted.

“Ten years on, research into the medical potential of cannabis and select cannabinoids has made great progress and the medical benefits of cannabis for the treatment of several illnesses are no longer in doubt. Patients may now receive from their doctor a prescription for the cannabis ingredient dronabinol, but most health insurance programs do not reimburse the cost of treatment. Those patients who cannot afford a prescription and instead self-medicate with cannabis are still subject to prosecution. Several of them have been sentenced to prison terms, some were acquitted in court. Unfortunately, the option to obtain a waiver for the medical use of cannabis from the Federal Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM) has not significantly improved this unacceptable situation.

“The signatories recognize that for many people who are seriously ill cannabis may be a very helpful medicine but that they cannot benefit from its use for socio-economic reasons (high cost of dronabinol) or because of bureaucratic hurdles (obtaining an exemption from the BfArM). Thus, the signatories encourage the federal government and parliament to take action as follows:

“1. To ensure that the cost of treatment with dronabinol is covered by health insurance if a doctor prescribes it for an indication where the benefits of dronabinol have been scientifically proven.

“2. To protect those patients who use cannabis therapeutically based on a doctor’s recommendation from prosecution.

“3. To promote research on the therapeutic potential of cannabis products.”

Signatories:

- ADHS Deutschland (ADHD Germany)

- Akzept (Association for Accepting Drug Policy)

- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Cannabis als Medizin (Association for Cannabis as Medicine)

- Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe (German Aids Support Society)

- Deutsche Epilepsievereinigung (German Epilepsy Association)

- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suchtmedizin (German Society for Addiction Medicine)

- Deutschen Gesellschaft für Schmerztherapie (German Society for Pain Therapy)

- Deutscher Patienten Schutzbund (German Society for the Protection of Patients)

- Initiative Selbsthilfe Multiple Sklerose Kranker (Self-help Initiative for MS Patients)

- Interessenverband Tic & Tourette Syndrom (Association Tic and Tourette Syndrome)

- Polio Allianz (Alliance of Poliomyelitis Patients)

- Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein (Society of Republican Attorneys)

- Selbsthilfenetzwerk Cannabis Medizin (Self-help Network Medical Cannabis)

- Tourette-Gesellschaft Deutschland (Tourette Society Germany)

Source

[Maccobicco]

It's interesting... the problem is if you check the german newspapers you do not find this news anywhere. The only news I was able to find is, that the health insurances will not support cannabis for the medical treatment as long as there is no proof for its benefit.

So nothing will really change...

Unfortunately in Germany there is a very strong anti-cannabis movement going on from the media. All news that show the positive sites of cannabis are ignored and all negative ones will be printed...

[sh@dy]

It's interesting... the problem is if you check the german newspapers you do not find this news anywhere. The only news I was able to find is, that the health insurances will not support cannabis for the medical treatment as long as there is no proof for its benefit.

So nothing will really change...

Unfortunately in Germany there is a very strong anti-cannabis movement going on from the media. All news that show the positive sites of cannabis are ignored and all negative ones will be printed...

so damn right, exactly what I was going to write.....
this thing doesnt pop up anywhere in the media, and without media it wont change much.
I wish them good luck, as it would be great to get a description for self-medication from my doctor for my stomach problem

[Maccobicco]

I wish them good luck, as it would be great to get a description for self-medication from my doctor for my stomach problem

We all know, why we want Cannabis to be legalized. And maybe it is a discussion with pros and contras. But it's a shame that the government, doesn't allow people like sh@dy to get his medication.

I recommend to all German users the book "Rauschzeichen" by Steffen Geyer and Georg Wurth. On the other hand, it would be even better if this book would be read by people who are against a legalization.

[Puffin13]

We all know, why we want Cannabis to be legalized.

Cannabis is a very personal plant/drug. There are many different reasons why, different people would like to see it legalized. Some would like to see it legalized because it brings relief from pain and can help or cure many many different conditions, disorders or illnesses. For others, it is because it is the only thing that will keep them alive. For others, it is because of it's usefulness it building houses, making paper products, making hemp concrete and plastics, for textiles, and 1000's of other uses for cannabis hemp. Still others would like to see it legalized for its highly nutritional properties and the many healthy foods that can be created with it. Others, for the spiritual aspects associated with ingesting cannabis. For many others, it is the pleasure and sense of well-being we feel when we ingest it, either smoked, vaporized or eaten. For others, it is because it is the right thing to do, for humanitarian and harm reduction purposes.
I dont think there is any one reason why different people would like to see it legalized and available to whoever wants it. Peace n Pot.

[Maccobicco]

Definetively true! But I think you cannot make a serious discussion about legalization when mixing up for example the industrial benefits of hemp with the effect it has as a drug.
On the same hand that you cannot argue with a prohibition of hemp for the industry by talking about the risks as a drug, you should not argue with a legalization for everybody, just because it has positive medical effects. In this way you will not be heard at all by our conservative friends.

What I wanted to say was just that I believe that a medical legalization of cannabis has to be done independantly from every other discussion, as it is a question of dignity towards the people who could get release from it.

[Puffin13]

Definetively true! But I think you cannot make a serious discussion about legalization when mixing up for example the industrial benefits of hemp with the effect it has as a drug.

Industrial hemp is Cannabis also. It is also illegal to grow in many countries, due to the fact that marijuana is illegal and there are too many beneficial aspects connected to both, the psychoactive Cannabis and Cannabis hemp. This makes for some very interesting and enlightening research.

On the same hand that you cannot argue with a prohibition of hemp for the industry by talking about the risks as a drug, you should not argue with a legalization for everybody, just because it has positive medical effects. In this way you will not be heard at all by our conservative friends.

Conservative friends? To me that is like military intelligence. A contradiction of terms. Life is too short for closed or narrow minded people that only feed on what governments tells them. Dare to think for yourself.

What I wanted to say was just that I believe that a medical legalization of cannabis has to be done independantly from every other discussion, as it is a question of dignity towards the people who could get release from it.

Where would you draw the line? One person might use it for simple depression. The next might ingest it to combat cancer. The next might consume it after a hard day at work, instead of a pill or a few drinks. Another, might use it for glaucoma or to control epileptic seizures.
I wouldnt want to live with a wrong decision on this one. It should be available to all adults that want it; for whatever reason.
There has been more than enough research over the thousands of years that it has been used, by many cultures, as a medicine. It's (past) time to cut the bullshit and legalize it.

Another reason why I am for total legalization of Cannabis is there are far worse substances that are legal and do MUCH more harm to people than Cannabis ever has or ever will. For example; alcohol, tobacco, aspirin, and caffeine not to mention the many pharma drugs.

End of rant. Peace.

[Maccobicco]

Industrial hemp is Cannabis also. It is also illegal to grow in many countries, due to the fact that marijuana is illegal and there are too many beneficial aspects connected to both, the psychoactive Cannabis and Cannabis hemp. This makes for some very interesting and enlightening research.

I know that, but industrial hemp must not necessarily contain psychoactive components, but nevertheless its forbidden in many countries.

Conservative friends? To me that is like military intelligence. A contradiction of terms.

This was ironic... Our politicians... unfortunately we are dependent on them, and to make them understand our concerns first of all, we should try to understand the way they think.

And for the rest....

I have the impression you did not get my point. I have completely the same opinion as you do on legalization.
The problem is, that its not us to decide. At least in my country we have a goverment that is fed by prejudices and by media ignoring all positive medical effects of cannabis. You cannot make a step at least in Germany from complete prohibition to complete legalization. Its only realistic to do it step by step. Let's start with serious medical problems. This goes before everything in my eyes. This would make change also the opinion on many people that have prejudices on cannabis. The next step could be to talk about cannabis as a much more harmless drug than it is alcohol or nicotine.
If you argue with that other legal drugs towrds our health minister, she would answer that its bad enough that they are legal, and that we do not need another drug.

Do you get my point now? You do not have to convince me. You have to convince the close minded people. And I do not believe that this is possible with arguing immediately on complete legalization.