Great news for those interested in medical cannabis in Peru! A new decree, Supreme Decree No. 004-2023-SA, was issued on February 28th, introducing fresh regulations regarding the use of medical cannabis.
This decree supports the Regulation that Regulates the Medicinal and Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Its Derivatives, implementing the provisions of Law No. 30681 and Law No. 31312.
This user-friendly Regulation outlines the process for obtaining various types of cannabis licenses. Pharmaceutical laboratories and droguerías, authorized by the Peruvian government, can now apply for licenses to import and/or market cannabis derivatives.
In Peru, droguerías are establishments focused on importing, exporting, marketing, quality control, storage, and distribution of pharmaceutical products and medical devices.
During the application process, applicants need to ensure they’ll only sell cannabis or its derivatives to other licensed entities like pharmacies, which are also authorized by the Peruvian government.
Although these businesses can’t directly import cannabis, they can apply for licenses to market cannabis derivatives.
Similar to some other Latin American countries, such as Colombia and Ecuador, cannabis in Peru is classified as either “psychoactive” (with THC content equal to or exceeding 1%) or “non-psychoactive”.
Both types of cannabis are allowed for medical and therapeutic use and can be imported under the Regulation.
However, importers of psychoactive cannabis need to obtain an import certificate from the General Directorate of Drugs, Supplies, and Drugs (DIGEMID).
Additionally, the Regulation offers other types of licenses that might be of particular interest to local stakeholders in Peru.
These include licenses for producing cannabis derivatives, which may also authorize cannabis cultivation.
Licenses are also available for accredited patient associations, and the Regulation sets requirements for cannabis prescriptions for patients.
It’s quite impressive that amidst the complex political environment in Peru, the government has managed to pay attention to this important Regulation.
While President Dina Boluarte may not be trying to win over medical cannabis patients, it seems that businesses eager to explore the medical cannabis market might find these new rules appealing.
Despite some patients expressing concerns, this development opens up new possibilities in the field of medical cannabis in Peru.
