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Current AffairsMPs complete legislation aimed at legalizing cannabis for medical purposes
A group of Czech MPs from all of the parties in the Chamber of Deputies has
completed legislation which could legalise the use of cannabis in the Czech
Republic for medical purposes. Currently, thousands of sufferers from
debilitating diseases such as Parkinson’s, Lyme borreliosis and multiple
sclerosis, have been forced to break the law to obtain marijuana to help
ease their pain, a situation which could soon change if the bill passes in
the lower house. According to reports, the medical use of cannabis in the
Czech Republic could be legal within the year. More
Current AffairsNew legislation proposes legalization of medical cannabis under strict rules
A government expert group is adding finishing touches to new draft
legislation proposing the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.
While still banning patients from growing medical cannabis on their own,
the amended legislation allows importing as well as the cultivation of
medical hemp by local private companies under strict state supervision. The
committee, whose existence was prompted by a petition initiated earlier
this year by doctors, researchers and patients and is supported by the
chairwoman of the lower house of Parliament, is supposed to submit the
final draft proposal to the Prime Minister in about a week’s time. More
PanoramaDoctors, patients and research workers call for legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes
Much has been said and written about the hemp plant and its medicinal uses.
Although China experimented with hemp as medicine as far back at 2800 BC
and cannabis therapies in Western medical practice date back to the 1800s
many countries are still cautious about exploiting its potential. The Czech
Republic is a case in point. Although earlier this year the authorities
approved the use of a cannabis-based medicine, the British-made Sativex,
the use of hemp for medical purposes remains illegal. Despite this,
thousands of patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and
other serious illnesses are using it to improve the quality of their lives. More
Business NewsBusiness News
In today’s business news: The European Commission launches an antitrust
investigation into the Czech energy giant ČEZ, self-employed individuals
may be among those who profit from an overhaul of the Czech pension system,
a new law eliminates advertising on two public TV channels, Czech tennis
star Petra Kvitová’s marketing potential receives a significant boost
due to her Wimbledon victory, the regional brewery Svijany posts record
profits in 2010 and Czechs pay up to 20 percent more for mobile phone
services than clients in neighboring countries. More
Current AffairsWill Czech approval of cannabis-based medicine end ban on marihuana research?
The Czech Republic has become the eighth EU member state to approve the use
of a cannabis-based medicine, the British-made Sativex. Czechs also rank
among Europe’s top marihuana consumers, and possession of the illicit
substance for personal use has been decriminalized. But the country is one
of few members of the European Union that still ban the cultivation of hemp
for medical purposes. More
Current AffairsConstitutional Court invalidates telecommunications data retention law
The Czech Constitutional Court has invalidated a law that forces operators
to retain data on telephone calls and Internet traffic on the grounds that
it violates people’s right to privacy. In a highly anticipated ruling on
Thursday, the court said that the provision ordering data on all calls,
faxes, text messages and e-mail exchanges to be retained for six months was
unconstitutional since it enabled a "massive" invasion into
citizens' rights and was not in line with the rule of law. More
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