At the petition of drug companies interested in integrating medical cannabis into their repertoires, Ireland’s Department of Health is introducing legislation to legalize cannabis for medical use.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health has stressed the fact that the new measure, if passed, will in no way decriminalize recreational use of cannabis.

“Department officials have been engaging with experts on how best to legally describe authorised cannabis-based medicinal products while maintaining existing controls on cannabis and cannabis substances to enable such authorised medicinal products to be prescribed in Ireland and used by patients. While it is not possible to set out an exact time frame, it is hoped to bring forward legislative proposals in early 2013.”

Many countries around the globe have legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes such as; sclerosis, asthma, cancer, anxiety and depression.

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