Peru: bill to legalize medical cannabis

The Peruvian government is set to introduce a bill to legalize the medical use of cannabis «for the treatment of serious or terminal illnesses.».

On Wednesday, February 8, President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s administration announced the introduction of this bill following a police raid on a San Miguel production site operated by private individuals. Five kilograms of cannabis and several tools used to manufacture the’cannabis oil were confiscated. The minister of Carlos Basombrio's Interior must have reacted and regretted the raid. The cannabis growers were mostly parents who had come together to produce artisanal cannabis oil for their children’s treatments.

Aida Farfan, the manager of this operation, says that about 80 people were supplied by this plantation. The cannabis oil was distributed free of charge to members of the association. «In Search of Hope». Thanks to this community-based distribution, Dorothy Santiago saw her daughter’s epileptic seizures decrease from several hundred to 3 or 4 a day. «It’s the only treatment that works for our children.» Aida Farfan is delighted with this progress, as she had previously submitted several petitions to Parliament, all of which were ignored.

A Step Forward into the Unknown

According to Peruvian attorney Ricardo Sobreron, the illegality of medical cannabis is purely a political issue in Peru. «Research and public health policy regarding medical cannabis are hampered by the country’s conservative and moralistic outlook. As a result, there is no scientific research here on the potential benefits of cannabis.» According to him, more than 200 people are in need of treatment with cannabis oil.

The government approves this use only under strict conditions and only as a last resort. Patients with cancer, epilepsy, HIV, Alzheimer’s disease, or Asperger’s syndrome will be able to request these future medications. Any other use of cannabis is prohibited in Peru.