Colombia could be a power in medical cannabis: Rodolfo Hernández

Defined in his government plan as an “excellent alternative in the crop substitution program”, independent candidate Rodolfo Hernández (Piedecuesta, 1945), believes that the medical cannabis industry would generate 1.3 billion dollars in exports by 2030, which would be an important source of income for Colombia.

For Hernández, who is characterized by a direct style in presenting his ideas, implementing such an industry in the country would improve both equity and income distribution by directly promoting jobs for 44,000 people in the coming years.

“One product where the country can become very strong is medical cannabis, as there is a lot of land that could be devoted to this promising crop, as evidenced by the large amount of foreign investment that has come to produce it in many regions of the country. Cannabis can practically be planted throughout the country and could be an excellent alternative in the crop substitution program,” said the candidate in the presentation of his government program.

Hernandez relied on a study by Fedesarrollo that noted that the medical marijuana industry would generate exports of more than $1.7 billion by 2030 — a figure that the candidate used as a justification for his argument:

“With such an encouraging picture and promising examples such as the one mentioned, it can be considered that, if creative actions are taken in industrial development, the country could even increase its expectations and also contribute to improving its equity indexes,” said the candidate.

In addition to considering medical cannabis as an “engine” for the economy in the event of an eventual government of Hernandez, the latter considered that the production of poppy and coca, especially in oil derivatives, should be industrialized.

Especially in the case of reducing violence in armed areas affected by drug trafficking in Colombia.

“Implement associative or agribusiness models between large, small and medium producers for the transformation of agricultural products. To this end, all regions will support the generation of this industry with the aim of intervening, for example, in the process of medical cannabis, poppy and coca in oil, as well as other derivatives”, he stressed.

The legal gaps left by the new regulation of cannabis for industrial use in Colombia

After President Iván Duque issued Resolution 227 of 2022, which regulates Decree 811 of 2021, which establishes guidelines for the industrial use of cannabis in the country, which, among others, estimates the conditions for the export of dried cannabis flower, establishes all the procedures for industrial use of the plant in sectors such as food, beverages, alcoholic beverages, dietary supplements and stipulates the terms under which it can be used for scientific or medicinal purposes, there are three unknowns that leave entrepreneurs who have come a long way in Colombia to achieve to implement your business.

Speaking to INFOBAE COLOMBIA, the expert in Health and Pharmaceutical Law, Luz Helena Vargas warns of the first legal vacuum related to CBD: “Although the authorities gave the green light to the use of THC products, CBD products are much more commercially attractive, a category for which will still be subject to regulations issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection”.

At the moment, there is no regulation on microbiological requirements for foods containing this ingredient (vegetable component, grain and non-psychoactive cannabis derivative), so he stated, “if an application is submitted at this time, it is not possible to start the proceedings immediately, you have to wait until the ministry define the specific requirements to be met by these products.”

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