The National Assembly in Panama on Monday passed a bill, which legalizes the use of medical cannabis in the country. With the passage of the bill, Panama has become the first country in Central America to make medical marijuana legally available to people.
Under the proposal, a registry of authorized cannabis patients would be set up and permits will be granted for further research on the drug. The bill secured positive votes from all 44 lawmakers with no one voting against it.
The latest medical cannabis bill cleared the National Assembly after trying for five years.
The bill passed the national assembly unanimously after five years of trying and will become law after securing the signature of President Laurentino Cortizo.
Commenting on the developments, Assembly President Crispiano Adames said that the Bill was "innovative and many ailments can be treated with cannabis once the proposal becomes law."
As per reports, the Bill allows for limited commercial cultivation in Panama even while depending on imports in pill and liquid forms. The Ministry of Health will distribute medical cannabis products to licensed pharmacies, which must apply for a permit for selling medical cannabis and also pass a site inspection.
The new law prohibits the home cultivation of cannabis and any illegal cultivation and sale will send a person to jail for 10-15 years. The law also does not allow for any form of advertisement of cannabis products.
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