Dutch pharmacy established to supply medicinal cannabis
A Dutch pharmacy is claiming to be the first in the world to be established exclusively for dispensing medicinal cannabis on prescription. Last month it served its first customer, a multiple sclerosis patient who uses cannabis to control pain and spasms.
The Cannabis Pharmacy in Groningen in the north of the Netherlands operates
to the same professional standards as other pharmacies but dispenses
only one product.
It was set up by the non-profit patients’ group the Foundation
for Medicinal Cannabis in order to provide pharmaceutical quality cannabis
at prices comparable to the city’s many so-called coffee shops — €6
(£4) a gram.
Since 2003 patients in the Netherlands have been able to receive medicinal
cannabis on prescription from an ordinary pharmacist. However, it is
relatively costly at €9 (£6) per gram and health insurers have
increasingly excluded it from their cover. Many chronic users have turned
to the coffee shops, whose cannabis may contain impurities.
By contrast prescription cannabis is produced under laboratory conditions
to a standardised quality, strength and content, containing no pesticides,
heavy metals or bacteria. The Dutch ministry of health supervises production
through a company, Bedrocan, based in Veendam, near Groningen.
Pharmacist Lisette Wijnkoop, who works at the Cannabis Pharmacy, says
it was set up to guarantee low cost and high quality by buying in bulk.
It also helps many patients who may not like to go to a coffee shop for
medicine. In addition she argues it can offer specialist “know
how about the application and the best way to use” cannabis and “information
on side effects and use with other medication”.
She estimates there are 150 patients in the city. Throughout the Netherlands
an estimated 15,000 mainly multiple sclerosis, cancer and rheumatism
patients use medicinal cannabis.
The Cannabis Pharmacy is being run as a pilot project by the Dutch ministry
of health’s office for medicinal cannabis.
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