High & Polite write

Big Narstie to medical cannabis office in Essex 

Hold onto your spliffs, folks—because Big Narstie is making serious moves in the medical cannabis game!

The grime legend, comedian, and all-around UK icon is turning an old Barclay’s bank in South Woodham Ferrers into his very own medical cannabis office.

Yep, you read that right—Big Narstie Medical is officially open for business, ready to deliver “high-quality medicinal cannabis” to UK patients in need.

Now, we know what some of you might be thinking—“Big Narstie? Medical cannabis?”

But let’s be real, who better to bridge the gap between everyday people and the life-changing potential of medicinal cannabis?

Since the UK legalised medical cannabis in 2018, patients suffering from severe epilepsy, chemo-induced nausea, and MS have found relief through legal weed.

Narstie’s move isn’t just about the clout (though let’s be honest, a medical cannabis office is pretty cool).

He’s shining a much-needed spotlight on the benefits of medical cannabis, especially for those who don’ realise it can be legally prescribed.

So, whether you’re a fan or not, this is one groundbreaking move worth keeping an eye on.

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In July 2023, Germany’s federal government commissioned the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) – the body responsible for determining which medical treatments are covered by the country’s statutory health insurance – to amend the current regulations around medical cannabis prescriptions.

The G-BA is in the process of deciding four specialist areas for which the current approval requirement should no longer apply, making it easier to obtain insurance coverage for the medicine.

However, the country’s medical cannabis associations say this does not go far enough and have called for the approval requirement to be removed for all conditions in which cannabis has shown medical efficacy.

Medical cannabis has been legal in Germany since 2017 and can be prescribed by any doctor for patients with serious medical conditions. It is one of the few countries globally where the treatment can be covered under the public health insurance system in certain cases.

But currently, for patients with statutory health insurance, the costs of medical cannabis are only covered if previously approved by the insurance company.

This application process is said to be ‘daunting, lengthy and bureaucratic’ for doctors and patients, with 30-40% of applications being rejected.

https://businessofcannabis.com/german-medical-cannabis-associations-call-for-wider-regulatory-reform/

Cannareporter writes….

The legalization of cannabis may be introduced in the Portuguese Parliament and there may be political will and consensus for the approval of this regulation to be faster. In the “March for Cannabis” Manifestation, members of various parties, power and opposition, participated and revealed that it may be in 2023 that the proposal for the legalization of cannabis will enter parliament.

The staircase of the Assembly of the Republic building brought together, after the demonstration that headed from Largo do Camões, the various participants of the March for Cannabis, convened by the Mothers for Cannabis Associative Movement. It was at a time dedicated to interventions that the possibility of legalizing cannabis in the near future in Portugal was unveiled by various political leaders.

According to Francisco Themudo, National Secretary for the Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees of Socialist Youth, who addressed those present, he reasoned that there may be will, but above all, the necessary political conditions to move towards a comprehensive regulation of cannabis.

The leader stated that “smoking is an act of freedom, and that we have the right to do it safely”, defending a legal framework where the cannabis plant is not illegal. Fabien Figueiredo, former deputy for the Bloco de Esquerda and proponent of the bill to legalize personal consumption in 2021 But if there were any doubts, confirmation that, in the corridors of São Bento, cannabis is more than just talk, came from the Deputy of the Liberal Initiative, Rodrigo Saraiva. To the participants, the deputy said that it could even be in 2023 that the parliament will receive some proposals for discussion, “already with some prior consensus”.

Read full report

https://cannareporter.eu/en/2023/04/02/legalization-in-portugal-may-advance-later-this-year-with-political-consensus/?mc_cid=c0a48fdbf5