After the legalization of cannabis last year, many people in Ecuador believed that the new law would mean a free access pass to cannabis and cannabis-based products. But now, Ecuador’s government is changing some of its laws to thoroughly regulate the use and access to medical cannabis, in order to assure that only the right medical authority can prescribe these alternative treatments.
The medicinal use of cannabis and its derivatives was legalized last year in Ecuador. Since its decriminalization for medicinal use, through the reforms to the Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code in 2019 until the approval in the National Assembly of the Health Code, the cannabis industry has promoted its therapeutic use.
In December 2019, the National Assembly approved three articles that legalized the use of medical cannabis:
However, now, in the latest Health Code approved by the Assembly, drugs containing narcotic and psychotropic substances are regulated in six articles that are contained in a chapter. The document establishes the limits that doctors have for prescribing these drugs.
If you want to know more about cannabis, how the Ecuadorian law is regulating the use of medical cannabis, and to find out the latest cannabis news, download the Hemp.im mobile application.
To be able to access this type of alternative medicine, it will be necessary to prescribe through special recipe books that the National Health Authority must regulate, it is explained in article 337. “The dispensing and sale of medicines containing listed substances is prohibited, and subject to control, not prescribed in the recipe books referred to in this article.”
Medical professionals who may prescribe it, including cannabis treatments, must receive authorization from the ‘Authority’, which will maintain an updated registry. Likewise, authorized pharmaceutical establishments and services may dispense and sell medicines and processed natural products for medicinal use that contain listed substances subject to control.
“Said authority will keep an updated record of those establishments and pharmaceutical services, which must compulsorily provide the said authority with the mandatory periodic reports on stocks, prescriptions, dispensing and sales of this class of drugs,” is explained in Article 339.
In addition, these establishments must maintain a registry of patients, for which a regulation will be issued.
Although the use of drugs and natural products with active cannabis components is allowed, it will depend on the diseases or medical conditions determined by the Health Authority.
In article 340 it is established that “it will take into account the scientific evidence that has demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness; it will regulate the concentrations of said substance in them and the amount allowed in each prescription, depending on the pathology treated, as well as the temporality of the duration of the said prescription.”
Last May, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), through the Undersecretary of Agricultural Production, Andrés Luque, held a webinar on the legalization and opportunities of hemp cultivation in Ecuador.
There it was explained that hemp, a variety of the cannabis plant, can be used mainly in the manufacture of drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and in adjuvant products for cancer treatments.
In addition, since June, there is a period of 120 days for that ministry to prepare the regulations for cultivation and production. Self-cultivation will not be allowed in it.
“As MAG, we will have competition from the importation of seeds to the production of oil; that is, the agro-industrial process, which will allow faster procedures,” Luque said.
__
(Featured image by Tree of Life Seeds via Pexels)
DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Hemp.im, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.
This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.
First published in El Universo, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.
Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Hemp.im assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Hemp.im is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.
Ontario is investing $31 million over the next three years to enhance efforts against illegal…
Frankfurt and Hanover are launching five-year pilot projects for legal, regulated cannabis sales to adults,…
Italy's Regional Administrative Court suspended the Health Ministry's decree labeling CBD as a narcotic, pending…
This November, five U.S. states will vote on measures related to legalizing recreational or medical…
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Italy after its recent proposal to ban…
A new study has found that prolonged use of high-THC cannabis leaves a unique mark…