LISBON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese parliament on Friday approved the use of cannabis for medical purposes, in the vote of a draft bill from the parliamentary committee on Health, which was based on proposal from the Left Bloc and PAN parties.
The bill was voted in favor by main opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD), the ruling Socialist Party (PS), the Left Bloc, Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), the Green Party (PEV) and People and Anaimals Party (PAN). The right-wing party CDS-PP were absent.
The bill will increase the role of state pharmaceutical agency Infarmed and introduce the possibility of the Military Laboratory which will contribute to the production of the medical grade cannabis, but it rejected the initial proposal of the Left Bloc to legalize self-cultivation of cannabis.
According to the bill, a doctor could prescribe medical cannabis or preparation based on the cannabis plant, which are considered substances ranging from oils to dehydrated flowers, but only if other conventional therapies have adverse or unwanted effects.
