Panama close to becoming first country in Central America to allow use of medical cannabis

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The cultivation, import, and export of cannabis is a reality in Panama through a new regulation. Panamanian authorities created a new regulatory law that allows the medicinal use of cannabis in their country for selected individuals.

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Laurentino Cortizo, president of Panama, signed law number 154, which allows the therapeutic and medicinal use of cannabis and its derivatives in the country.

It is worth mentioning that Panama would be the first country in Central America to legalize cannabis for medicinal use.

The National Assembly informed that the Ministry of Health would be the one to define the list of persons who will be licensed for the use of this medicinal plant. In addition to regulating licenses, the law covers import and export activities, cultivation, production, commercialization, and distribution. It also establishes that the importation of derivatives “may only be granted to supply the patients of the Cannabis Use Program”.

The legalization of cannabis will be only for the patients mentioned above, and the law prohibits the sale through the Internet or to homes. The president of the N.A., Cipriano Adames, affirmed that those who will enjoy this benefit would be the people who are in constant pain day by day.

The Ministry of Health authorized the creation of a National Program for the Study and Medicinal Use of Cannabis and its Derivatives. This program would be created for research purposes to promote education on the proper use.