Brazil: Senate committee approves self-cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes

The Brazilian Senate's Commission on Human Rights and Participatory Legislation (CDH) a approuvé a report by Senator Marta Suplicy authorizing the cultivation and consumption of cannabis for medical use, originally proposed via the country's e-citizenship portal and signed by over 20,000 people.

Recreational use of cannabis was also proposed, but did not pass project validation. A separate vote was then proposed to authorize the self-cultivation and consumption of cannabis for therapeutic use.

«As for the proposal brought before this House, we agree with the report not to decriminalize the cultivation of cannabis for recreational use. However, in our experience, it is time to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic use,» the senator explained before the Senate.

On Twitter, Marta Suplicy explained the intention to decriminalize cannabis for medical use and recalled the difference the law can make in treating certain patients whose pathology can be alleviated with cannabis.

https://twitter.com/SenadoraMarta/status/941298474531901440

«I have just been appointed rapporteur on the use of cannabis for medical purposes after hearing from doctors, psychologists and desperate families, given the price of imported medicines and the possibility of growing it at home, with medical advice and prescription, to relieve pain. 600,000 people have epilepsy, which could be greatly reduced by the use of cannabis. We're going to fight this fight and I think we'll have the support of most Senators, because it can make a huge difference to most people with epilepsy.»

The report is now being drafted as a bill. It will have to be approved by several committees before it goes to plenary session and becomes law.

Some drugs like Sativex are already available in Brazil, The result is a very high cost for patients.