



Greece’s parliament has approved a bill allowing the production of medicinal cannabis, with the government coalition and centrist parties voting in favor. Apart from the government (SYRIZA and ANEL), the bill was also backed by opposition parties Democratic Alignment and the River, while major opposition party New Democracy (ND), the Communist party (KKE), Golden Dawn and the Union Centrists voted against it. During a heated debate in the plenum, an irate Health Minister Andreas Xanthos objected to assertions that Greece was being turned into a vast area of cannabis cultivation. The opposition parties that voted in favor of the bill said the framework introduced by the government is neither complete, nor clearly defined, however it is a first step in the right direction.
The Hellenic Parliament passes a bill legalising the use of medical cannabis in Greece. New Democracy, Communist Party, Golden Dawn and the Union of Centrists voted against the government-sponsored bill.