Pubdate: Fri, 27 Nov 2009
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Page: A15
Copyright: 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Javier Espinoza
Cited: Cannabis Bureau http://www.cannabisbureau.nl/
Cited: European Cities Against Drugs http://www.ecad.net/
Cited: GW Pharmaceuticals http://www.gwpharm.com/
Cited: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
http://www.gwpharm.com/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/David+Nutt
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Sativex

ANOTHER THING EUROPE DOESN'T AGREE ON

Europe has yet to come up with a unified approach to medical
marijuana. The Dutch will tell you it is legal to use the drug to
treat certain illnesses; while the Swedish don't recognize any
medical use for cannabis at all.

"European policy is not really changing at all and I don't think this
issue is even on the European agenda. The topic is too controversial
and too political," said Catherine Sandvos, a legal expert for the
Hague-based Cannabis Bureau, a Dutch national agency aimed at
providing high-quality cannabis for medical purposes.

Ms. Sandvos's native Netherlands has led Europe when it comes to
legalizing medical marijuana, which it treats separately from
marijuana legally available at one of Amsterdam's famous coffee
shops. The Dutch police stopped enforcing laws against marijuana in
1976 following an overall tolerance policy in the country. "It's hard
when you try to explain to outsiders that it is illegal to grow
cannabis in the Netherlands, but that it is tolerated to buy it," she says.

But those who buy the drug on the streets are not getting the quality
severely ill patients would need. The Dutch government set up the
Cannabis Bureau -- the only institution of its kind in the continent
-- in September 2003.

"The state realized that so many people wanted to use cannabis, so it
said 'why not give it to them via prescription instead of them
accessing the drug illegally,'" Ms. Sandvos added.

The Cannabis Bureau ensures that patients who have a prescription
from a doctor are getting marijuana that has been tested to make sure
it doesn't contain any pesticides or bacteria. Not only does the
Cannabis Bureau sell cannabis across all pharmacies in the
Netherlands through a prescription, but it also distributes the drug
to Italy, Finland and Germany through the Ministry of Health of each
country. According to the agency's data, it sells around 100 kilos of
cannabis every year.

The situation couldn't be more different in the U.K., where it is
unlawful to self-medicate cannabis regardless of the disease people
suffer from. In 2005, Barry Quayle and Reay Wales, who were both
afflicted by serious and chronic conditions, found no relief in
prescription drugs and turned to cannabis to alleviate their pain.
But a U.K. court ruled against them.

"The whole debate in relation to the use of cannabis for medical
purposes is highly politicized," said Daniel Godden, an associate
solicitor for Hodge Jones & Allen LLP in London. Those who say
marijuana is relatively safe can face severe political consequences.
Last month, Professor David Nutt, the British government's chief drug
adviser, was removed from his post after he said the drug was less
harmful than alcohol.

Favorable views toward cannabis face opposition from some local
politicians and international lobbying groups. Jorgen Sviden,
director of Stockholm-based European Cities Against Drugs, which
represents 261 cities in 30 countries, isn't convinced of the drug's
medical qualities.

"In principle, we don't have an argument against cannabis as a
treatment, but we haven't seen any scientific evidence that provides
a convincing argument for its medical use," he said. "If in the
future we come across proof that cannabis is a good treatment, then
this is good."

Some initiatives have managed to stay away from the political debate,
however. The U.K. happens to be home to GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, which
manufactures a drug based on marijuana extract -- Sativex. Although
it has some ingredients that derived from the actual drug, it has
been treated by the U.K.'s regulators as a medicine like any other as
it doesn't contain the psychotropic substances marijuana does. The
company is preparing to launch the drug into other parts of Europe,
in partnership with Germany's Bayer AG and Spain's Almirall SA.

GW is hoping to sell its product, which will treat the symptoms of
multiple sclerosis, across all countries in Europe but has initially
filed for a license in the U.K. and Spain so far. Paul Cuddon, an
analyst with KBC Peel Hunt in London, says he expects the drug to win
approval in both countries in the first half of 2010 and then the
firm will file for individual approval in each country.

"I'm not anticipating any legal problems in the rest of Europe at
all," Mr. Cuddon added. "This is a treatment that is highly different
from raw cannabis and it has undergone rigorous chemical trials."

Other countries have tough stances, however. Ireland, for example,
doesn't recognize marijuana as a drug with medical benefits. This
means that manufacturing, producing, selling or possessing cannabis
is unlawful for any purpose. The Ministry of Health is the only
government branch that can grant an exception, but a spokesman said
it never has.

Noel McCullagh, 34, has learned this the hard way. An Irish citizen,
Mr. McCullagh lives in the Netherlands, where he uses cannabis
medication to treat the severe effects of his muscular dystrophy.
However, Irish authorities have warned him that he will be arrested
if he enters his native country in possession of cannabis-based treatment.

In Sweden, the law doesn't recognize the cannabis to have any medical use.

Beyond the debate of marijuana's use, Dr. Willem Scholten, of the
World Health Organization, believes patients should have access to
high-quality medicine. So if cannabis has medical attributions,
"there needs to be a system in place to ensure that patients get
their medicine without any contamination and that they get the same
content every time."

Despite the radically different approaches in Europe, some believe
the continent will eventually adopt it as a medical treatment.

"I can imagine European citizens will eventually think cannabis is a
good medicine and that it should be accessible to people who suffer
from serious pain as a result of HIV, multiple sclerosis or other
grave illnesses," said Brendan Hughes, senior legal analyst of the  in Lisbon.