New Zealand passes laws to make medical marijuana widely available
Legislation comes ahead of a referendum on recreational marijuana use in next two years
The Guardian (UK)
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
New Zealand’s government has passed a law that will make medical marijuana widely available for thousands of patients over time, after years of campaigning by chronically ill New Zealanders who say the drug is the only thing that eases their pain. The legislation will also allow terminally ill patients to begin smoking illegal pot immediately without facing the possibility of prosecution. The new law allows much broader use of medical marijuana, which was previously been highly restricted and subject to approval by the health minister. Patients wanting to use marijuana for conditions like chronic pain will have to wait a year until a new set of regulations, licensing rules and quality standards are put in place.
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