Medicinal plants

A fully equipped hydroponic lab where cannabis was being cultivated was found by police on Wednesday during a raid on a residence in the area of Zahouli in Megara, western Attica.
The 52-year-old owner of the home was arrested and officers seized 119 cannabis trees. Police said they were looking for his 51-year-old accessory.

In vitro experiments prove a strong anti-tumor activity of cannabis extract, said Prof. Iva Ugrinova, Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her team started working on the national scientific program "Innovative Low-Toxic and Biologically Active Means for Precision Medicine" - BioActiveMed and can now deliver first results.

The President of the International Anti-drug and Human Rights Center (CIADO) Romania, Academician Constantin Balaceanu Stolnici, recommends the Government to endorse the research in the area of medical cannabis and create a legal framework for patients to have access to these treatments safely, a press release of the organization informs.

Hüseyin Afacan and his wife, Ayşe Afacan, both in their 70s, have been living a remote life on the island of Çiçek, dotted with olive and pine trees and famous for its narcissus flowers in the western province of Balıkesir's Ayvalık district, ever since grappling with financial distress and their son's brain damage 15 years ago.  

A Canadian company announced it acquired 150,000 acres for cannabis production in Bulgaria, Dnevnik reported. At the end of last year, International Cannabis Corp announced that it acquired 100% of the assets of the Balkan Cannabis Corp, which claims to own the land in Bulgaria and the necessary licenses for production of hemp and cannabis for medical purposes.

Greece's first processing plant for natural sweeteners made of stevia, a plant native to Brazil and Paraguay, is set to open in the central Greek region of Kardista, the ANA-MPA reported on Thursday.

Greek authorities say they have seized 6.5 tons of cannabis and a large quantity of pills containing the banned stimulant Fenethylline hidden in a tug boat on the south coast of the island of Crete.

A 50-year-old man has been arrested for setting up a hydroponic cannabis growing system in a house on the island of Salamina, near Athens.

Police, who arrested the suspect on Tuesday, said the cannabis was being cultivated for illegal sale.

Members of the Greek Police's anti-narcotics unit on Monday found a fully equipped hydroponic cannabis growing system that had illegally been set up in an apartment in Exarchia, central Athens, and arrested two people.

According to reports, the two suspects - a 29-year-old foreign national and a 26-year-old woman - stored their produce in another apartment, also in Exarchia. 

News that the Greek government has issued the country's first licenses for growing medical cannabis to two private firms has been greeted warmly by patients and businesses alike.