Colombia legalizes cannabis flower for medical use

With the decree 1138 of 2025, published on October 27 by the national government, Colombia officially authorizes the’use, production and marketing of cannabis flowers to medical and scientific purposes, extending these provisions to veterinary applications as well.

A new framework for the cannabis industry

The decree, signed by the ministers of Justice, the’Agriculture and Health, introduces a solid regulatory framework that extends the possibilities of cultivation, manufacturing and distribution cannabis and its derivatives in Colombia.

For the first time cannabis flower is recognized as a finished product, which means that it can now be legally marketed and prescribed to therapeutic purposes, provided it complies with the authorizations required by the’Invima (Institut national de surveillance des aliments et des médicaments) or the’ICA (Colombian Institute of Agriculture).

According to the Ministry of Health, this measure is intended to «facilitate better quality control and ensure that patients have access to safe, reliable treatments». The regulation also partly modifies the decree 780 of 2016, in order to include cannabis-based therapies in the human and veterinary medicine.

The decree also distinguishes low-THC cannabis products, which are subject to simplified regulatory requirements. Products with a THC content below the thresholds set by the Ministry of Health are not classified as controlled substances, which facilitates their access to research laboratories, universities and pharmaceutical establishments interested in studying or producing non-psychoactive formulations.

The award aims to promote innovation in cannabis-based therapies, including oils, creams and compounded preparations, while reducing administrative burdens and facilitating scientific exploration of the plant's potential health benefits, without the strict controls applied to finished products with high THC content.

Support for small producers and rural economies

One of the cornerstones of the new regulations is the emphasis on’inclusion and rural development. The decree introduces transitional measures which give priority to the participation of micro, small and medium-sized producers, with the aim of integrating traditional farmers into the formal economy.

The Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs will have five months to devise a simplified licensing system for small and medium-sized growers, to facilitate their access to legal cultivation. Over the next two years, these growers will be only authorized à supplying cannabis flowers to the national medical market, a measure designed to strengthen local production and revitalize rural economies who have long depended on illicit crops.

As the government explains, «the transitional measure is reasonable and proportionate, as it strengthens the national pharmaceutical and agro-industrial industry, guaranteeing the supply and fair participation of local producers».

Guaranteeing safety and scientific surveillance

In addition to economic inclusion, the decree places strong emphasis on quality control, safety and traceability. It strengthens the supervisory powers of several institutions, including the National Narcotics Fund (FNE), theInvima, theICA and the national police, to ensure strict control of the production line and prevent detour to illegal markets.

Products defined as «finished» or «controlled» must comply with clear thresholds in terms of THC content and can include capsules, tablets, creams and solutions or phytotherapeutic and homeopathic products, according to their classification in national health regulations.

The decree also extends non-commercial research licenses to 24 months, encouraging universities, laboratories and medical institutions to advance studies on therapeutic properties of cannabis. The Ministries of Health, Justice and Agriculture are now responsible for developing technical standards within five months to implement these measures.

New challenges

While the decree was widely hailed as an important historic milestone for Colombia's healthcare policy, experts warn that its benefits may not reach everyone equally. According to Estefanía Ciro Rodríguez, director of the think tank A la orilla del río and contributor to the Truth Commission, the farmers of the regions affected by the conflict, as the northern Cauca, Many small-scale growers do not have the technical or financial resources to obtain licenses or meet the regulatory standards required for medical production. Many small-scale growers do not have the technical or financial resources to obtain licenses or meet the regulatory standards required for medical production.

«I think they should be stricter and more precise in their positive discrimination towards those who have been victims of illegal markets,» added Ciro Rodríguez, citing the need for social equity in this emerging sector.