Brazil regulator greenlights medicinal cannabis products

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s health regulator has approved guidelines for the sale of medicinal products derived from cannabis.

The agency known as Anvisa said Tuesday it has outlined procedures for the manufacture and import of such products and established requirements for prescription, sale and oversight.

Families of ill children have advocated for legalization of medicinal cannabis and said its prohibition has forced many to turn to drug traffickers.

Brazil still trails neighbours Uruguay and Argentina where cannabis is already cultivated and sold legally for medicinal purposes. Brazil previously decriminalized partially the possession of marijuana for personal use.

The regulation takes effect 90 days after its publication in the government’s official gazette. Anvisa says companies should continue research to prove the efficacy and safety of their formulas.