Mexican Senate discarding industrial and medicinal uses of cannabis

The Senate is putting aside the industrial and medicinal use of cannabis, which would impact the Mexican market, warns an activist.

The Senate of the Republic is leaving aside the industrial and medicinal use of cannabis during its discussion, which could cause Mexico to lag behind in the world market for the substance for these purposes, warned Raúl Elizalde Garza, co-CEO of HempMeds.

During this week, the legislators of the upper house will discuss the opinions regarding the end of the prohibition of the consumption of cannabis in the country, after the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation requested it, with a maximum term of 15 December. December.

In an interview for Forbes Mexico, Elizalde Garza emphasized that there is no good regulation regarding the medicinal and industrial use of cannabis, in addition, that the Legislative branch has not made clear the difference between marijuana and hemp, a strain of the plant that is used to make various products.

“Recreational use is being discussed but industrial uses are not being served in an efficient way. The industrial use of hemp is being pushed aside, which is going to be a problem when companies want to start working with it, “he added.

The foregoing, after the Commissions of Justice, Health and Legislative Studies Second in the Senate agreed to repeat the first opinion and add a last one, thus ruling out medicinal use.

He accepted that the approval of new legislation in favor of the plant, even though only recreational use is contemplated, is an advance in the matter; Therefore, reservations regarding other uses of the drug should be discussed later.

The activist indicated that the upper house has had enough time to discuss the issue, since the last legislature, so he is concerned that an approval “steamed” that is not well analyzed will come out.

He added that the regulation of marijuana in Mexico could have economic benefits, such as regulating the black market and taking away the business from organized crime, however, the greatest benefit would be in the industrial issue since investment in the country could be encouraged through of hemp.

“We cannot export marijuana to the main trading partner which is the United States, but we could export hemp. And without regulation, against the largest market in the world, it will be difficult for Mexican companies to enter this market, “he said.

Elizalde Garza agreed that it must be the Mexican State that strictly regulates the recreational use of this drug, although this should not be the case in the industrial or medicinal case.

“On the issue of hemp, there cannot be that state control because it does not exist in almost any other country in the world. Doing so with the series of treaties and processes will make it inefficient, that it will not be attractive for foreign investment, that the products will not be attractive, “he said.

Faced with this scenario with stricter regulations for the industry, he ruled that foreign investors will choose to look in other countries where the processes are simpler.

Source: forbes.com.mx

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