Cannabis Legality in Europe
Cannabis has found its supporters and opponents across the world, and Europe is no exception. After a long time, this plant originally from Asia is returning to public awareness due to its potential in medicine. In the United States, cannabis is legal in more than ten states, and in several others, it can be used without penalty for medical purposes. Regarding Europe, each country has its own laws regulating cannabis use, which can be somewhat confusing. In today's article, we'll clarify this and summarize the situation from both a holistic and country-specific perspective.
Recreational Use vs. Medical Use
As a cannabis user, you consume the plant or its products either recreationally or for medical purposes. Although it might seem that the word "recreational" implies occasional use, this is not actually the case. Recreational cannabis is typically specified as cannabis that a consumer uses for purposes other than medical. In countries where such cannabis is legal, you can freely purchase it from the shelves of many specialized stores. Other states usually object to such use, which seemingly does not solve any health problem but is practiced purely for entertainment, and is therefore often placed outside the law. From the experience of recreational consumers themselves, it emerges that by consuming cannabis, they address certain health problems that their doctor would not realistically prescribe medical cannabis for.
The second type is cannabis for medical use – that which is prescribed by authorized physicians in a given country, if it is legal in that location. In some cases, such cannabis is also made available to patients below the age of majority. Both mentioned categories include cannabis containing all cannabinoids, including THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Due to its psychoactive and intoxicating properties, this type of cannabis is often condemned by its opponents. However, today we can find an alternative that is somewhat more tolerated.
Cannabis without THC, or CBD cannabis, contains THC levels up to the permitted maximum of 0.3% (in some places 0.2%). Conversely, it contains CBD (cannabidiol) in high levels, which enhances its medical use. Many countries are legalizing this type of cannabis because its use is not associated with significant changes in behavior, thinking, cognitive functions, and no significant side effects are observed. Other countries are beginning to look at cannabis differently, but it remains quite individual, as you'll learn in the next part of the article.
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