Amsterdam
Dutch doctors began prescribing marijuana for medicinal purposes this week. Recreational pot smoking has long been tolerated in the Netherlands, but this marks the first time the drug has been approved as medicine. The government has contracted with two local farms to grow the pot, which is used as a pain reliever and an appetite stimulant, primarily for patients with cancer, AIDS, or multiple sclerosis. About 7,000 patients are eligible for the marijuana prescriptions, which can be filled at Dutch pharmacies. Canada, Germany, and Australia also allow restricted use of medicinal marijuana, but the Netherlands is the first country to actually provide the drug and regulate its quality.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA DraftSpeed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
-
Today's political cartoons - April 16, 2024Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - sleepyhead, little people, and more
