Uruguay votes for new medical cannabis regulations

The Uruguayan Senate unanimously approved a bill yesterday regulating the medical marijuana which aims to improve patients’ access to cannabis. It calls on the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) to include these products in the national health system and also authorizes small and medium-sized producers to manufacture oils and medications, provided they meet minimum quality standards.

Senator Daniel Garín has declared that, through this project, Uruguay is making its «contribution to providing safeguards for citizens who now see cannabis as a solution to serious illnesses.».

According to the latest figures, 24.1% of the Uruguayan population would be willing to use medical cannabis, but only 10.1% actually do so. Of those, only one-third obtain it through legal channels, while the rest turn to the black market.

The bill aims to expand access to medical cannabis by setting prices lower than those for recreational cannabis, ensuring consistent and reliable quality, and making it readily and quickly available.

The Institute for Cannabis Regulation and Control (IRCCA) will establish a certification and quality control system by issuing licenses to cannabis producers and processors. These entities have 60 days to submit an application to the IRCCA. The Ministry of Public Health will, for its part, implement a medical cannabis program to include these treatments in the national health system.

Medical cannabis will continue to be dispensed at pharmacies, as in fact, cannabis for adult use legalized in 2013.