Colombian President Legalizes Medical Cannabis
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]hursday, in a surprise statement, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced an executive decree to legalize and regulate the sale of medical cannabis. According to Justice Minister Yesid Reyes, the ordinance will regulate the cultivation and exportation of cannabis for medical use.
The nations of Columbia, Mexico, Uruguay and Chile have decriminalized or legalized cannabis, suggesting a change of attitude concerning cannabis in Latin America. The Columbian government will develop a regulatory framework to control the sale and distribution of cannabis.
Columbia legalized small amounts of all drugs roughly twenty years ago, however, until now cannabis has remained a controlled substance. Even with a complicated past in relation to cannabis, Latin America is ready to legalize its medical use.
According to Senator Juan Manuel Galan, around 400,000 Columbians suffer from epilepsy and could benefit from medical cannabis.
Sannabis is a U.S.-owned company based in a native reservation in Columbia. Sannabis can already legally develop cannabis products because of the reservation’s self-governing laws. “Our phones are ringing off the hook as we get ready for the next chapter,” John Campo, president of Sannabis, told the Washington Post. Sannabis has a line of cannabis-based creams, oils, and other products thus far.
With this news in mind, Columbia has now joined the ranks of many states and countries worldwide who have opened their legislative books to rewrite cannabis legality.
