The Office of Medicinal Cannabis
The Office of Medicinal Cannabis
What is the OMC?
The (OMC) is a government agency that is part of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports. After it was founded on January 1, 2001, the Netherlands became authorized to allow the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes as described in the United Nations (UN) (1961). The OMC is responsible for all cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes, and has an absolute monopoly on all transactions regarding these products, including import and export. Moreover, the OMC handles all requests for licenses/exemptions to work with cannabis or its derived products (such as pure resin or THC) by e.g. Universities, laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. These conditions are dictated by the Single Convention, and are intended to minimize the risk of diversion.
What is its role?
The OMC provides the following products and services:
- Facilitating the production of pharmaceutical grade cannabis by contracting and licensing growers.
- Distribution of cannabis within the Netherlands for medical use to pharmacies, licensed doctors, and veterinarians.
- Distribution to licensed research facilities in the Netherlands.
- Export to foreign stakeholders for medicinal use or research purpose, if licensed by their own government.
- Preparation and handling of all import- and export-documents.
- Preparation and handling of all licenses and exemptions for working with cannabis products within the Netherlands.
- Educating and informing patients, medical professionals, pharmacists and other stakeholders about the medicinal use of cannabis.
Contact the OMC
Office of Medicinal Cannabis
P.O.Box 16114
2500 BC Den Haag
Telephone: (+31)-70-340 5113
Fax: (+31)-70-340 7426
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: