Malaysia will allow the importation and use of medicinal cannabis as long as products comply with government regulations, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a written response to parliamentary questions this week.
The sale of medicinal cannabis for selected patients and conditions will require a prescription from a registered medical practitioner or licensed pharmacist.
Importers must also have licences and import permits and products must be registered with the country’s Drug Control Authority (DCA).
If a company has sufficient scientific evidence for the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, it can apply for its product to be evaluated by the DCA in order to bring it to market.
The minister said a company must demonstrate the quality, safety and effectiveness of its products in order to be registered.
He also made it clear that the regulations only apply to medicinal cannabis, not to recreational or industrial use.