The proposal was passed last Friday and had favourable votes from the PSD, PS, BE, PCP, PEV and PAN parties, and abstention from the CDS-PP Christian democrats.
The document, which reinforces the role of medical drugs watchdog Infarmed and introduces the possibility of the Military Laboratory contributing to the production of the substances in question, leaving out the initial proposal of the BE to legalise self-cultivation, had favourable votes from PSD, PS, BE, PCP, ENP and PAN and abstention from CDS-PP.
The document stipulates that a doctor should prescribe this type of medicine or preparations based on the cannabis plant, which are considered substances ranging from oils to dehydrated flower, but only if other conventional therapies have adverse or undesirable effects.
Left Bloc MP Moisés Ferreira welcomed the outcome, saying it was “worth the while” having discussed the issue in parliament and that the approval of the diploma would provide “effective therapy for many diseases, and will finally be accessible in pharmacies for many patients”.
“The speciality process and the hearings we gave proved the BE was right, so much so that parties that initially said no law was needed, such as the PCP, now also endorse this bill”, said the BE MP, explaining that the party will not push further on the matter of self-growing.
PAN leader Cristina Rodrigues said the party “is happy with the adoption of the law, especially with the pluralist and democratic debate, which, unfortunately, failed to bring to fruition everything we wanted, but it is at least a step forward because there is recognition that cannabis has benefits for health of people”.
However, Ms. Rodrigues insisted that self-cultivation should be regulated, and criticised the obligation to exhaust all possibilities before a doctor prescribes cannabis.