Minister of Health Paulette Lenert is currently visiting Portugal to learn more about the country's liberal drug policies, decriminalisation strategy, as well as the production of medical cannabis.
The Ministry of Health now plans on creating a legal frame to allow for medical cannabis to be cultivated in the Grand Duchy, announced Minister Lenert in Lisbon on Sunday evening. A legal analysis of the situation is expected to be completed by September.
The politician from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) explained that many countries that eventually moved beyond medical cannabis started with this approach, as it allows to first set up the proper control and safety mechanisms: "A third phase could then see the cultivation of cannabis for non-medical purposes in Luxembourg."
Over the last two years, the Grand Duchy faced several supply issues affecting medical cannabis, which could be avoided once production is also legalised on a national level.
The government will allow for people to cultivate up to fours plants at home as a first step towards the legalisation of recreational cannabis in Luxembourg. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture are currently working on regulations for cannabis seeds to guarantee certain quality standards.
Aside from visiting medical cannabis plantations, Minister Lenert further inspects Portugal's substitution and addiction programmes. The country has recorded positive results from their decriminalisation policies, which is partly due to the launch of extensive addiction support programmes, explained Minister Lenert: "We also want to recognise drug addicts as patients rather than criminals."
