Game-Changer: Colombia To End Ban On Medical Cannabis Flower Sales, Prioritizing Smaller Producers And Patients

By Lucía Tedesco via El Planteo

After months of interministerial work, a project to modify Decree 811 of 2021 was published, overturning the prohibition on the sale of cannabis flower for medicinal use in Colombia. This change will allow the legal distribution of marijuana flower in clinics, hospitals and pharmacies.

María del Mar Pizarro, a member of the House of Representatives from the Pacto Histórico, was one of the advocates celebrating this decision. “With this modification, we have finally achieved that cannabis flower is recognized as a finished product, allowing doctors to prescribe it and for it to be sold,” she told Infobae.

What’s more, following the approval of the Ministry of Justice, the production market will be reserved for small and medium-sized companies in Colombia for at least two years.

Understanding Cannabis Regulations In Colombia

The export of dried flower for medicinal purposes has been permitted since 2021. However, its commercialization within the domestic market remained illegal.

This situation became unsustainable for the Colombian Cannabis Industry Association (Asocolcanna), which since May 2024 had requested the national government to authorize the sale of flower. The association argued that, under medical prescription, the legal sale could reduce the illegal market and ensure patient safety. Furthermore, it claimed that regulation would benefit the local cannabis industry, promote job creation and generate additional revenue for the country.

Eventually, the Ministry of Health acknowledged the opportunities this measure could create and, after consulting with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute for the Surveillance of Medicines and Food (Invima), reached a consensus that medicinal cannabis flower should be recognized as a finished product, suitable for prescription and commercialization within Colombia.

The growing body of scientific evidence supporting cannabis use in medical treatments was also key to generating dialogue and reaching consensus on the plant’s potential.

However, this decree modification is not yet final. A public consultation period is open until October 4, 2024, allowing Colombian citizens to submit their comments and suggestions on the new regulations.