QCOSTARICA — To help patients who urgently require medicinal cannabis to treat their illnesses, the Ministry of Health approved a new regulation that will facilitate its sale within three months.
The regulation establishes registration, control, and labeling requirements, ensuring that medicines and natural products are differentiated and safe.
On Wednesday, February 12, almost 3 years after the “Law on Cannabis for Medicinal and Therapeutic Use and Hemp for Food and Industrial Use” (Ley del cannabis para uso medicinal y terapéutico y del cáñamo para uso alimentario e industrial) was approved by Costa Rica’s Legislature, Health Minister Dr. Mary Munive (who is also Costa Rica’s second Vice-President) said at the weekly press conference that the regulations will allow greater access and availability of these products, which can be used in the treatment of various diseases.
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“This will be a change in the lives of many people in this country. (…) After 3 years we already have the tool so that we can begin to receive registrations for medicinal cannabis and the opening of a new market to have the medicine under medical prescription,” said Munive.
Medicinal products based on psychoactive cannabis will be available only with a medical prescription in pharmacies, as established by the new regulation.
Medicinal cannabis has demonstrated therapeutic potential in the treatment of various illnesses and, with this new regulatory framework, Costa Rica joins the list of countries that have adopted regulations for its use and marketing.
The measure will benefit patients who require these products and open opportunities for the pharmaceutical and research industry. With a regulated market, the production and marketing of medicinal cannabis is expected to boost the country’s economic development, generating employment and investment in the sector
The regulation has gone through a national and international consultation process and is currently under review by the Directorate of Laws and Decrees.
It is expected that the regulation will be signed by President Rodrigo Chaves in the coming days, and published in the Official Gazette La Gaceta. Following the publication in La Gaceta, the products will be available in pharmacies.
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“It is essential that doctors have a guarantee of the quality of the products they prescribe. On the other hand, these products must comply with the requirements for health registration, labeling, specifications, control and advertising established by the Ministry of Health, thus ensuring their safety and quality for the population,” explained the Ministry of Health.
To register the products, interested parties must present the legal and technical requirements for the Ministry of Health to evaluate them.
Health Minister Munive explained that all the processes to produce medicinal cannabis can be done in the country.
In Costa Rica, the medical cannabis industry continues to grow, which represents economic and research opportunities.
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