Colombia’s Health Ministry seeks to allow for the manufacture and sale of medical marijuana products in Colombia, local media reported Wednesday.
Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria reportedly stated that he is working on a decree to allow for the commercialization of medical cannabis products.
The decree would allow for the elaboration and sale of phytotherapeutic products, or herbal medicines, that contain cannabis.
“(The decree) is about creating the possibility for a form of agro-business, that sells legal marijuana products, for example ointments, creams and oils that are legal and many of which already have health registry taking into account that the input will be an illegal product,” stated the Minister.
Gaviria explained that the decree seeks to regulate the commercialization of products with bases of marijuana, coca and poppy, amid controlled conditions for its production and sale.
The Minister stipulated some of the controlled conditions which facilitate the production of the cannabis and other drug-related medicines: “Destruction of surplus and guarantees that it will not filter out to the illicit business are some of the conditions,” he stated.
The decree complements a bill on the medicinal use of marijuana currently underway in Congress.
Gaviria assured that such action is permitted through Law 30 of 1986, a law that outlines the criminal repercussions for drug use.