CSC Bolzano – the Most Demanding CSC in the German-Speaking Area

The CSC Bolzano is the most demanding CSC in the German-speaking area. Cannabis as medicine is the priority.

The Cannabis Social Club in South Tyrol focuses, among other things, on the medical use of cannabis. Cannabis is an important therapy option in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and neural development disorders.

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Cannabis as a therapy option

International experts gathered at Landhaus 1 in Bolzano to present the use of cannabis in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and neural development disorders. The conference was held under the patronage of the Governor of South Tyrol, Dr. Arno Kompatscher, and was scientifically chaired by Prof. Dr. Kirsten Müller-Vahl, a physician in Neurology and Psychiatry and managing senior physician at the Clinic for Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Hanover Medical School.

The renowned experts from Italy and abroad presented their findings on the use of cannabis in the treatment of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, ADHD, and migraine. They reported on their clinical experiences and new scientific findings in the field of medical applications of cannabis.

Primar Dr. Francesco Teatini (Neurology at the Hospital of Bolzano) and Primar Dr. Luca Sebastianelli (Neurorehabilitation at the Hospital of Sterzing) presented insights into the medical practice in their departments and thus gave a picture of the current situation on-site.

According to CSC Bolzano, there is a need to catch up

Further improvements are needed not only in Germany but also in South Tyrol. The main goal of this meeting was to ensure that patients can exercise their right to alternative medical care with medical cannabis. In this regard, CSC Bolzano appeals to policymakers and the administration to take measures to facilitate and enable access to cannabis therapy.

Currently, Resolution No. 290/2018 of the South Tyrolean Provincial Government allows the dispensing of medical cannabis at the expense of the South Tyrolean Health Service only for neurological diseases such as “multiple sclerosis” and “Gilles de la Tourette syndrome”. Nevertheless, doctors and researchers in the field of neurodegenerative diseases are looking for new treatment options. The medicinal use of the cannabis plant offers an effective option to prevent and alleviate symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases and can significantly improve the quality of life of patients.

According to information from South Tyrol Health Services, medical cannabis is currently prescribed in 95% of cases for pain management, with a vanishingly small proportion of prescriptions for conditions such as multiple sclerosis or Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. This is of particular concern because many neurology patients often have no other options, either because of intolerable side effects of existing therapies or because they are considered out of treatment.

It is important to note that the medical use of cannabis is not always considered a stand-alone therapy, but often as a supportive measure to complement standard treatments or to alleviate side effects that might occur at higher doses.

Call for political representatives

In this regard, reference is made to point 4.1 of the technical annex of the Ministerial Decree of November 9, 2015, which aims to ensure access to these therapies, taking into account the latest scientific evidence. In the spirit of the patient’s right to adequate medical care, they request the update of the uses of medical cannabis to include the following pathologies: ADHD, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, cluster headaches, and migraines.

CSC Bolzano appeals to the future Provincial Councillor for Health to intervene in Rome to update the scientific evidence and allow the prescription of medical cannabis at the expense of the health service also for the aforementioned pathologies.

Patient assistance and advocacy

Immediate action is needed at the local level. This calls for the creation of a cannabis outreach center that effectively supports and advances the use of medical cannabis for therapeutic purposes. This requires the creation of a competent team that both possesses the expertise to use medical cannabis and passes this knowledge on to the medical staff of the ambulance service.

Access to medical cannabis must be facilitated to improve the quality of life and health of chronically ill patients. For vulnerable patients, maintaining their remaining health and alleviating their symptoms is of paramount importance. Increased use of cannabis therapies can provide significant benefits to the healthcare system as they are more efficient applications and can reduce the need for medications, which in turn reduces the burden of care for patients.

The patient association “Cannabis Social Club”, the scientific advisory board of the association, as well as all patients and relatives concerned, emphasize the urgent need to facilitate the use of medical cannabis in the interest of patients and to call for appropriate measures.

The CSC Bolzano has not only its own interests in focus but also clearly the interests of patients. It can probably be said that this CSC is the most demanding CSC in the German-speaking area.

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(Featured image by RDNE Stock project via Pexels)

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First published in Hanf Journal. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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