The survey by Analyse Denmark found that only five percent of people in Denmark opposed medical cannabis, with the remainder saying they did not have an opinion.
“It shows that the population understands that certain patient groups have specific problems that cannot be treated by ordinary medicine, but where medical cannabis can help,” Lasse Skovgaard, health policy manager at Denmark’s Multiple Sclerosis Society, told the Avisen newspaper.
“I’m not surprised that there is so much support,” added Mette Bryde Lind, chair of the Danish Arthritis Society. “We see many arthritis patients with chronic pain and a poor quality of life. They have tried several treatments but medical cannabis can help.”
Denmark plans from January 1 next year to launch a four-year trial which will allow “a defined patient group” to be treated with medical cannabis, after an agreement was reached in the Danish Parliament last November.
“The pilot project, which takes effect on January 1st, 2018, will make it possible for some of the patients who today medicate themselves to be treated legally with medicinal cannabis within the healthcare system,” a press release from the Health Ministry read.
The Danish Medicine Authority (Lægemiddelstyrelsen) has put forward multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, spinal cord injuries and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as eligible ailments.
The trial was voted almost unanimously through the Danish Parliament last November, winning the support of the ruling Liberals Party, the Social Democrats, the Danish People's Party, the Liberal Alliance, The Alternative, the Social Liberals and the Socialist Left Party.
Several political parties in Denmark support the complete legalization of cannabis but the three largest parties – Venstre, Social Democrats and Danish People's Party – remain opposed to legalizing it for recreational use.
Only 36 procent Danes are in favour of legalising Cannabis for recreational consumption, against 45 percent who are against, the survey found.
The agency surveyed 1,040 respondents.
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