Is Panama Next to Medical Marijuana Legalization?

Panama is the newest country in the world to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis.

After several debates, the first of which took place about four years ago, the bill authorizing the medicinal use of cannabis was unanimously approved by the legislature in Panama.

Debate after debate

The initiative to legalize the use of marijuana for therapeutic purposes was taken up by some legislators a few years ago.

The debates began in 2017 and have since passed from one legislative term to another.

In 2019, it was reported that lawmakers approved the drug for medical use. However, lawmakers insisted that for the drug to be approved at a later date, a broader study must be conducted to determine the extent of the drug’s medical benefits.

The incumbent National Legislative Assembly in Panama put this measure to the vote a few days ago.

The bill is sponsored by Marcos Castillero and the President of the National Assembly. The sponsors are committed to ensuring that the masses have access to affordable medical cannabis products.

The bill was approved without objection from the legislature. 40 MPs were present, 27 were absent because of other official business and some were absent because of illness. It is believed that at least one of these 27 absentee people voted “no”. But it still wouldn’t have been enough to tip 40 yes.

The majority of the lawmakers present say they were moved by the bill’s motto, “For a Pain-Free Day”.

A time consuming process

All the processes that the legislature has completed for this feat have been time-consuming. Legislators had to take their time to make sure everything was in the right format.

The reluctance of the previous legislature to approve the drug and the demand for further studies are understandable. This is because Panama is a country where residents use many drugs regardless of their illegality. Reports show that narcotics are widely used, and marijuana is the most popular of these substances. Cocaine has the highest rate of use in the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic also halted several legislative processes, so the marijuana initiative had to be paused for a while.

Content of the approved legislation

The new law will set up a regulatory committee tasked with overseeing and controlling all access to medical marijuana and its by-products.

All interested medical patients must enroll in the program.

The new law creates a national program for research into the medical uses of cannabis and its derivatives. This program is used to further research the benefits of the approved drugs. It is also used to spread awareness campaigns about the benefits of medicinal cannabis in all parts of the country.

Another detail is that cannabis derivative companies will only be granted seven permits to manufacture these products to meet the needs of the registered medical patients in the program.

It has been determined that these licensed companies will be able to export seeds, plants and derivatives to neighboring companies. But first they need to come up with an export plan and ensure that all international buyers are registered with the Panamanian regulators.

The legislation passed is not the most ideal measure that has been passed, but it can be changed in the future to improve its scope. For now, it’s a step in the right direction.

It is important to point out that selling cannabis from your home or from unauthorized locations is a criminal act under the approved law. All advertisements related to the medicinal use of cannabis may only appear in scientific journals. Any company – licensed or not – found to be serving marijuana advertisements on media and social platforms will be penalized.

In order to grow marijuana, you must obtain a permit. If not, you risk going to jail for ten to fifteen years. Reuters reported that the approved bill contains wording that takes into account the use of medical cannabis for pets.

What’s next

The newly drafted regulations must be approved by the President. Fortunately, President Laurentino Cortizo does not want to delay the process any further.

The measure seeks to control the illegal market by allowing few commercial cannabis cultivations within the country. This means that most of the products used are imported from other countries, especially pills and liquid medicines. This will continue until the government is ready to expand their local industry.

In the coming months, certain pharmacies will be licensed and the Ministry of Health will distribute the medicinal cannabis products to each of them. In order for a pharmacy to be approved, it must be submitted to the Ministry of Health and ready to pass a site visit.

Activists and supporters remain skeptical of the new law until President Cortizo approves it. An activist named Carlos Ossa has warned that any delay by the president in approving the new law will give the black market more power.

The high consumption of this drug among adults will indirectly result in their continuing to commit illegal acts through the purchase, possession and use of cannabis illegally purchased on the black market.

Another cannabis advocate added that the government risks exposing its nationals to illegal products whose traceability cannot be guaranteed.

Central America and cannabis

Panama is the first country in Central America to approve the medicinal use of cannabis. Another country that seems on the verge of the same is Costa Rica. Costa Rican lawmakers could take over the bill before the month is up.

last words

The approved bill was described as “innovative” by the President of the Assembly, Crispiano Adames. The law is guaranteed to curb the smuggling of medicinal cannabis products in the future.

If the Panamanian government made good use of this bill, it would have the upper hand in deciding what the cannabis industry would look like in Central America, considering that it is the first country in the region to legally approve its use.

The main benefit of the new law is that deserving patients will finally find relief.

… For a day without pain!

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