New Zealand Passes Bill to Authorise Use of Medical Marijuana - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - New Zealand's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill authorising the use of marijuana for medical purposes for chronically and terminally ill people, local media reported.
The New Zealand Herald newspaper reported that the bill, which terminally ill people legal defence for using cannabis products, passed its third reading with the support of all coalition partners except the National Party of New Zealand, which slammed the initiative to decriminalise cannabis.
According to a previous version of the bill, medical marijuana use could only be authorised for people with a year or less left to live.
During the bill's second reading on 29 November, New Zealand Health Minister David Clark made several adjustments, expanding the legal defence to all people needing palliative relief, the newspaper noted.
According to the newspaper, cannabis-based drugs will be available by prescription, and the law will come into force as soon as it receives royal assent.
- Source : Sputnik News
