Colombia: When Will Cannabis Flower Sales Begin? There's No Fixed Date, Says Ex-Official

Article via El Planteo

Colombia may be on the verge of taking a crucial step in regulating medical cannabis with a new draft decree that would allow the sale of dry cannabis flower. However, Efraín López, director of Árpez Company and former official at the Ministry of Justice stresses that no fixed date has been set for the decree's final implementation.

"The prohibition of prescribing dry flower was established in Decree 613 of 2017, and since then, access to cannabis flower in Colombia has been completely restricted," says Efraín. Colombia was a pioneer in legalizing medical cannabis in Latin America, but patients have only had access to compounded formulations, topicals and cosmetic products, leaving a gap in therapeutic options.

New Opportunities For Patients

With the new decree, which has already been submitted for public consultation, the possibility of prescribing and selling dry cannabis flower in Colombia would open up, both as a personalized compounded preparation and as a finished product available in pharmacies.

This change would be a significant victory for patients who have waited more than seven years for access to dry flower, which is known for its immediate therapeutic effects. However, the road to implementation won't be quick.

Regulatory Path For Cannabis Flower Sales In Colombia: What's Next?

Efraín explains that after the public consultation, reviewing the comments will take a few months. "In cases like this, with short decrees, the review process shouldn't take more than two or three months." After that phase, the decree will go through the presidential administrative department for a final review before being sent to the president for signing.

Even after this review, there is no set deadline for the president to sign the decree. "There's no specific time frame for issuing the decree. That's at the discretion of the authority," adds Efraín, which means patients might face further delays before seeing cannabis flower in pharmacies.

Lack Of Scientific Evidence: A Roadblock Ahead

A recurring issue in the discussion has been the lack of solid scientific evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of inhaling cannabis flower.

"Some well-known doctors… have stated that there isn't enough technical rigor or scientific evidence to support the efficacy and safety of inhaled flower," says Efraín. These concerns are not unique to Colombia, as the global medical community continues to debate the potential adverse effects of inhaled cannabis.

So, When Will Patients Be Able To Access Cannabis Flower In Colombia?

Although public consultation ended on October 4, 2024, Efraín estimates that the sale of dry flower in pharmacies could take between a year and a half to two years. "The fastest scenario would be for Invima [the regulatory body, similar to the FDA] to update the Guide to Good Manufacturing Practices for Cannabis-Based Compounded Preparations to include dry flower," he notes. Compounded formulations, which require a less rigorous process than finished products, are likely to be the first step in the market.

Efraín highlights that this progress reflects the political will of President Gustavo Petro, who has pushed for drug policy reforms since taking office. "With the political will I believe is there, it's moving forward," Efraín affirms, noting that this decree is also an integral part of the new drug policy, which aims to drive economic transformation in rural areas affected by drug trafficking.