Medical cannabis exports bill

Σπύρος ΚλωνήςGreek Market

A new bill put up for public consultation by the Development Ministry is aimed at facilitating exports of pharmaceutical cannabis products, which is seen mobilizing more investments in the sector in Greece and unfreezing the licenses several companies have received so they can proceed with the construction of production facilities.

The bill provides that a pharmaceutical cannabis product may be sold outside the country with the approval of the local regulator, without the approval of its sale in Greece, in contrast to what applies today. Therefore for products destined for export, the opinion of the Narcotics Commission will not be required. However, for the product’s sale in Greece, the existing legal status requiring the approval of the National Organization for Medicines (EOF) before being prescribed to patients will still apply.

To ease the export process, EOF will be able to approve and license for production the final pharmaceutical cannabis products made using the Cannabis Sativa L type with over 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in its ingredients. This is regardless of their form, as long as they are destined exclusively for export for medical and pharmaceutical purposes.

The issue of a production permit exclusively for exports will require the submission of a license or another similar document from the authorities of the destination country and the full description of the product, while EOF must issue the permit within 90 days of the application’s submission.

The bill also allows for the production of pharmaceutical cannabis in the form of packages of dried flowers of up 30 grams, exclusively for exporting and medical purposes, regardless of whether the product will be used as a final or intermediary product in the destination country, or as a raw material for medical/pharmaceutical purposes.

Among the bill’s provisions there is also a list of strict requirements for the facilities that will produce dry flower products: They must have additional internal fences for the protection of the facility, a closed neutral zone for the screening of vehicles going in and out, and fortified walls and doors where the raw material and final products will be stored.

Source: ekathimerini.com