The Government of Colombia has legalized the sale of cannabis and its derivatives in pharmacies for medicinal use by individuals with a medical certification. This marks another step in the commercialization of marijuana in the country.
This decree modifies the one issued by the Government in 2016, which regulated the evaluation and monitoring of licenses for the use of seeds for planting and the cultivation of psychoactive and non-psychoactive cannabis plants.
According to Chamber Representative Juan Carlos Losada of the Liberal Party, the main novelty introduced by this decree is that from now on, the flower of cannabis can be commercialized, and not just its derivatives.
"It corrects an error of the Iván Duque government (2018-2022) that, although it allowed the export of cannabis flower abroad, it did not do so for national sale. That decree was regulated by the Government the following year."
On the other hand, in this South American country, it has been legal since 1986 to carry up to twenty grams of marijuana, as well as to plant nineteen plants for personal cultivation.
"What changes is that in Colombia (the flower) can now be considered a finished product and therefore can be commercialized to those who have the corresponding prescription," added the parliamentarian.
However, Losada believed that the legalization of recreational use "would be a catastrophic error for Colombia," as the quality standards for pharmaceutical flower "cannot be the same as for recreational use."
This, said the representative, would be "a total affront to the communities that have fought for decades to be included in the regulated adult-use cannabis market."
Under the new decree's rules, the National Narcotics Fund (FNE) "will exercise follow-up on manufacturing licenses" and "control of cannabis, its derivatives, and its finished products," added Losada.
The Ministry of Justice and Law, for its part, will carry out "follow-up on licenses for seeds for planting and grain, and for the cultivation of psychoactive cannabis plants and non-psychoactive cannabis plants."
Medical cannabis in Colombia
In Colombia, the medicinal use of marijuana was regulated in 2015 with a decree signed by then-President Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018), on the grounds that allowing the medicinal use of cannabis did not go against the country's commitment in the fight against drug trafficking.
In 2021, President Duque signed a decree authorizing the export of dried cannabis flower for medicinal purposes to provide more incentives for the country's pharmaceutical industry and to guarantee access to medications derived from the plant.
