The is now available medicinal cannabis in Greece, while its prescription also began with the cost of the treatment being borne entirely by the patient, as the products belong to the medicines that are not reimbursed. A 60-year-old, mother of three children who lives in Athens, will pass the pharmacy door in the next few days to fill the first prescription in our country. The aim is to continue the treatment for the treatment of chronic pain due to psoriatic arthritis.
“One morning I got out of bed and I just couldn’t walk. Excruciating pains all over the body, in all the bones, I couldn’t stand. After seeing that the meds weren’t working, I started researching and came across a medical cannabis group. I feel like a ton has been lifted off my shoulders, when the prescription came, I looked at it, looked at it again and it was one of the greatest joys of my life,” said the patient.
Until now patients who wanted to receive treatment were driven to procure drugs over the internet, or to self-cultivate, both illegal processes.
Anesthesiologists, neurologists, pathologists specializing in oncology and infectious diseases and rheumatologists have the right to prescribe medicinal cannabis according to the EOF.
According to the anesthesiologist Chrysoula Karanastasi, president of the Hellenic Medical Society for cannabinoids, the actions include:
pain relief,
the control of nausea,
spasticity control,
improving mood and appetite.
Medicinal cannabis is currently only available in a 5 gram package of dried flower which must be placed in a specially approved medical device in order for the patient to vaporize it. The product can be obtained by the patient strictly with a medical prescription.
The pharmaceutical formulations we have now received have tetrahydrocannabinol at 9%.
With a special pulverizer, the patient grinds the flower into smaller pieces and the capsules, which are filled with the dried flower’s dust, are inserted into the device.
From 2018 to today, significant steps have been taken until cannabinoids are included in pharmaceutical protocols.
According to a post by the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, “Greece is turning into a key country for the production, circulation and export of Medicinal Cannabis products. A long-standing request of various Patient Associations is becoming a reality and a new Production activity is taking shape”
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