Poland Legalizes Marijuana Use for Medical Purposes

Under new legislation, Poles will be eligible to use cannabis for treatment of illnesses like chronic pain, nausea, multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms and drug-resistant epilepsy.

The Polish government on Wednesday moved to enact the bill on cannabis approximately three months after Polish President Andrzej Duda signed it into law, Radio Poland reported.  

According to the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber, some 300,000 people will get access to cannabis treatment as up to 90 percent of 15,000 Polish pharmacies are now authorized to make prescription drugs.

The medical marijuana won’t be grown in Poland and will be imported to the country. The government does not want the country to become a drug-importing nation. One gram of cannabis will cost up to 60 Polish zlotys (approximately $16).

Piotr Liroy-Marzec, one of the lawmakers behind the bill has also reportedly proposed the establishment of the Polish Institute of Cannabis to promote education on cannabis which "is what Poland needs, for the doctors, judges, and pharmacists."

Poland has become the latest country in the European Union that legalized marijuana, joining such countries as Greece, Italy and Germany that made a similar step in January.