Slovenian Parliament Introduces Historic Medical Cannabis Measure

Less than one year after voters in Slovenia overwhelmingly approved a
medical cannabis referendum question as part of the 2024 European
parliamentary election (66.7%), lawmakers in the European country have
introduced a medical cannabis modernization measure. If approved, Slovenia
would become home to the most progressive medical cannabis industry model
in Europe.

The measure, which was formally introduced in mid-April, would dramatically
overhaul Slovenia’s cannabis policies governing medical and scientific use.
While technically legal in Slovenia, safe access to medical cannabis is
currently very limited in scope. Cannabis advocates in Slovenia have worked
very hard for several years to achieve this public policy milestone, and
the measure is expected to pass later this year.

If adopted by Slovenian lawmakers, the new medical cannabis measure being
considered would legalize domestic commercial medical cannabis production,
home cultivation, regulated product distribution, and scientific research
efforts. Slovenia is already a top international research and development
hub for several large global industries, and the nation’s academic and
institutional framework, which is already in place, positions the European
nation to do the same for the emerging international cannabis industry.

Furthermore, the modernization measure would create a non-restrictive
industry licensing system, which is not common in most legal medical
cannabis jurisdictions. Any individual or entity that meets the regulatory
requirements can obtain a medical cannabis industry license to operate
within Slovenia’s borders under the proposed bill. No public tender will be
required, and no state monopoly will be involved. Both public and private
entities will be able to produce and distribute medical cannabis according
to the proposed law.

All medical cannabis products sold in Slovenia’s market would have to be
cultivated and processed according to Good Agricultural and Collection
Practice (GACP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and European
Pharmacopoeia standards. Requiring that medical cannabis products meet
those standards will ensure that Slovenian medical cannabis patients have
access to high-quality, safe products.
*Removing THC From Slovenia’s Prohibited Drugs List*

A major component of the medical cannabis policy modernization measure is
the removal of cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from Slovenia’s
prohibited drugs list. Sectors making products from the cannabis plant and
its derivatives, including resin and extracts, would be positively impacted
by the policy change. The reclassification of cannabis and THC will remove
various prohibition-based hurdles that have historically held back
Slovenia’s industry and scientific research efforts.

Slovenia’s European continental peer, Germany, approved a cannabis policy
modernization measure over one year ago. The new CanG law in Germany
included the removal of cannabis from the nation’s Narcotics List, and the
positive impact the removal has had on Germany’s medical cannabis industry
has been substantial. Germany’s medical cannabis industry is expanding in
size and scope at an exponential rate due to the reclassification of
cannabis, and the same is expected to happen if the current medical
cannabis proposal is approved in Slovenia.

Under current Slovenian law, narcotic prescription protocols are required
for medical cannabis, which is a major reason why Slovenia’s medical
cannabis program has historically been so small. The narcotic prescription
requirement drastically limits the types of medical cannabis products that
are available to suffering patients. That requirement will be removed if
lawmakers approve the current proposal, and medical cannabis will be
available via the regular medical prescription process.
*Regulated Medical Cannabis for Animals*

Currently, nearly six dozen nations around the world have adopted medical
cannabis legalization measures. The medical cannabis models vary from
country to country, with the most restrictive ones having the lowest legal
patient numbers due to requiring that narcotic prescription protocols be
followed. “Whole plant” medical cannabis products are prohibited under such
models, leaving patients with only the option to obtain expensive imported
cannabinoid-derived and synthetic cannabinoid products.

A component of the introduced measure that will differentiate Slovenia from
many other countries where medical cannabis is legal, and not just in
Europe, is the legalization of regulated medical cannabis for animals. It
is an area of medical cannabis that is still in its infancy, but possesses tremendous
potential.

Just as humans can benefit from the use of medical cannabis therapies,
peer-reviewed studies have found that the same is true for animals. Further
research is desperately needed to determine which cannabinoids and dosage
levels are the most effective for animals, and that presents a big
opportunity for Slovenia’s scientific community to conduct such research
and develop products for the domestic and international markets.
*The Gold Standard Medical Cannabis Models*

The new Slovenian medical cannabis law, if implemented, will ensure a
stable and continuous supply of medical cannabis products for the nation’s
pharmacies, licensed wholesalers, and healthcare providers. This will help
ensure that Slovenia’s suffering patients are not dependent on medical
cannabis imports or are subjected to irregular access.

Slovenia’s medical cannabis market is projected to grow by 4% annually,
reaching over €55 million by 2029. The bill opens the sector to domestic
innovation, job creation and export potential, and current Slovenian
industry projections may likely prove to be too conservative as time goes
by, thanks to the robust nature of the current proposal.

The introduced Slovenian medical cannabis bill is aligned with current
United Nations drug conventions and builds on successful models from
countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic,
ensuring legal sufficiency and international compatibility.

Slovenia’s medical cannabis measure is superior to any other proposal
formally introduced in Europe’s young legal cannabis industry history and
is worthy of celebration. It is a major milestone by every measure, and if
the bill is adopted, it will prove to be a major victory not only for the
nation of Slovenia, but also for the wider European and global cannabis
movements.

The proposal is the gold standard of what a medical cannabis model should
be, and when it succeeds in helping patients and boosting Slovenia’s
economy, it will be a glowing example for other nations seeking to follow
Slovenia’s lead.

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