Finally, a safe and legal supply
Everything is different for mich now. My family doctor gives me a prescription. I'm prescribed 120 grams of cannabis flowers per month, which a specialized pharmacy sends to my home. I can try different strains and find out which ones help me the most. My accident insurance covers the costs.
That took away an incredible amount of fear and stress for me. I am incredibly grateful for that, because I still remember exactly what it was like before.
I used to wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, not knowing where I would get my next supply of cannabis. I lived constantly worried about not having enough medicine for my severe pain and spasticity.
Today I finally have reliable, medically supervised, and legal care. This has a positive impact on my health—especially my mental well-being. My case demonstrates that the law works. The costs are manageable for my accident insurance, and my quality of life has improved dramatically. At the same time, I now require fewer other medications and less medical support than before.
But I am still an exception
I am one of the few people in Switzerland who have this option. Many sufferers still can't find anyone willing to prescribe cannabis, and health insurance companies continue to cover treatment only in exceptional cases. This is incomprehensible. Because the stories of our members show how much cannabis can help people continue living despite illness and pain. And that is sometimes anything but easy.
For some, cannabis is the only remedy that offers even a little relief – against severe pain, spasticity, anxiety, inner restlessness, sleep problems, or difficulty concentrating. It allows some to participate in family life again, cope better with their daily routines, work despite their illness, or even regain hope.
And yet, sick people are still stigmatized
Even today, we are often not believed and are equated with Recreational Consumption . However, my experience of the people in our Association is quite different: They are responsible and refuse to accept suffering from severe pain for the rest of their lives. Therefore, they are looking for effective alternatives to opiates and other medications.
These people are deeply engaged with their health. They are looking for a therapy that restores their quality of life and enables them to actively participate in life again. Many find exactly that in medical cannabis – often with fewer burdensome side effects than with other medications.
Nevertheless, they constantly have to justify themselves. Health insurance companies and accident insurers often refuse to cover costs or ignore the positive treatment outcomes, even though the health of many affected individuals has demonstrably improved. Many patients find this unfair and demoralizing.
Many medical professionals still lack sufficient knowledge about the medical use of cannabis. Fortunately, specialized pharmacies, dedicated doctors, and various telemedicine platforms now exist. This allows us to refer those affected more effectively to competent resources.
Without cost coverage, the therapy remains unattainable
Cannabis flowers or extracts from the pharmacy can quickly cost several hundred francs per month. Many chronically ill people simply cannot afford this. As a result, they are forced back onto the black market. This is contradictory and unfair.
If patients require fewer other medications, seek medical help less frequently, and improve their quality of life thanks to cannabis, healthcare costs can also be reduced in the long term. These connections are still far too often overlooked in the decisions of health insurance companies and accident insurers.
Cannabis-based medicine should therefore not only be viewed as a cost factor, but also as an opportunity for our healthcare system. Effective therapy can help reduce follow-up costs, stabilize health in the long term, and enable people to lead more self-determined lives. This benefits not only those affected, but the entire healthcare system – and ultimately our whole society.
We constantly hear the blanket statement that there isn't enough scientific evidence. But it's not that simple. Of course, we need further research and larger studies. However, there are already scientific findings – and countless documented experiences from those affected. Why are these experiences still so often ignored? For more than ten years, MEDCAN members have been sharing their stories.
Experience does not replace research. However, it should not be treated as if it were worthless. Medical professionals have a responsibility to listen to those affected, to engage with the topic, and to pursue further education.
How uncertain the situation remains is currently evident in Germany
In 2017, significant progress was made: seriously ill people could be prescribed cannabis flowers, extracts, and cannabis-based medications. Under certain conditions, statutory health insurance companies covered the costs. Now, this provision is to be drastically restricted. The current draft legislation proposes removing cannabis flowers from the list of services covered by statutory health insurance. Standardized cannabis extracts and Licensed Medicinal Products will continue to be covered.
For mich this is a step backwards. It's hardly comprehensible from a scientific, medical, or public health perspective. The explanatory memorandum for the draft law generally favors Licensed Medicinal Products over cannabis flowers. However, very few THC-containing Licensed Medicinal Products are actually available.
Given the timeline, the economic interests involved, and the open questions surrounding political donations, a problematic impression arises. Decisions that could deprive seriously ill people of effective therapy must be transparent and comprehensible, revealing which interests and professional criteria played a role. In the end, this decision will likely not save a single euro, but will cause immense suffering for many.
Cannabis medicine must not become a one-size-fits-all therapy
People with neuropathic pain, spasticity, cancer, migraines, nausea, anxiety, or sleep problems don't all need the same medication. Cannabis medicine works precisely because different strains, potency levels, dosages, and methods of administration are available. What helps one person may be ineffective for another or cause unpleasant side effects.
This diversity is not a luxury. It is the core of successful and responsible cannabis therapy.
Furthermore, for those with statutory health insurance in Germany, the inhalation of cannabis flowers would practically disappear from reimbursement. Inhalation can be particularly important for acute pain spikes because its effects are very rapid. Oral ingestion works much more slowly and is therefore not an equivalent alternative.
When patients lose access to a therapy that is appropriate for their condition and demonstrably helps them, they are robbed of valuable time. This is not modern cannabis medicine, but a politically mandated restriction of individual treatment options.
For those affected, this decision is an absolute catastrophe: some could lose a medication that has helped them for almost ten years and for which they fought for years. A policy that treats sick people in this way is irresponsible.
Supply remains uncertain in Switzerland as well
What is being planned in Germany also frightens me for Switzerland. It shows how quickly patients can lose a hard-won therapy due to a political decision.
Here too, I receive heartbreaking messages from people who are successfully treating themselves with cannabis and finding their way back to life. Then, suddenly, they receive the news that the costs are no longer covered. That's more than a slap in the face. It's inhumane. These people are utterly devastated.
These decisions often seem arbitrary. One person receives coverage, while another with comparable symptoms does not. A comprehensible medical logic is hardly discernible. For those affected, this feels like harassment.
If a doctor prescribes cannabis on a controlled substance prescription, the medication is legally obtained from a pharmacy, and it demonstrably helps – why is there still such a desperate fight for reimbursement? Shouldn't health insurance companies decide in the best interests of their policyholders' health?
We are far from reaching our goal
Four years after the change in the law in Switzerland, I must therefore say: We have taken an important step, but we are still far from our goal.
People who know little about medical cannabis still make decisions for us. Political and economic interests are still given more weight than the experiences and needs of those affected. And far too many are still left alone with their pain, their fear, and their bills.
That's why I'm saying it loud and clear:
Everyone working in the healthcare system should finally pursue further training in this area. Listen to sick people and take their experiences with medical cannabis seriously. This also applies to health insurance companies and accident insurers: If insured individuals can demonstrate that cannabis helps them, then stop constantly questioning their treatment. Cannabis is now a legal medical treatment option – finally take advantage of it!
Cannabis is not a miracle cure and doesn't help everyone. But for many people, it can be a blessing. As a medication with relatively moderate side effects, it can significantly ease the burden of living with serious illnesses, pain, and limitations.
I am living proof that well-supported cannabis therapy can fundamentally change a life. What was once characterized by fear and the constant struggle to obtain supplies has now given way to a stability that restores my quality of life and future prospects. Today, I can even travel within Europe with my medication.
I wish precisely this security for all people who can benefit medically from cannabis. A functioning supply should not be a matter of luck – it must be available to everyone who needs it.
We need cannabis medicine that is effective, affordable, and humane. And above all, we need one thing: that people finally believe those who use cannabis medicinally.
