Moderators Moderator_02 Posted February 23, 2018 Moderators Share Posted February 23, 2018 Quote Health Committee misses cannabis debate Posted on February 20, 2018 in Panama Cannabis nursery Post Views: 268 The National Assembly discussion of a bill seeking to regulate the medicinal use of cannabis in Panama was adjourned on Tuesday, February 20 because the deputies that make up the Health Commission were missing. The commission had previously created a technical panel of specialists for the analysis of the legislative initiative that seeks to regulate the use of cannabis compounds for therapeutic use. The debate was to focus on article 1 of the bill that states that cannabis can be produced and marketed in the country in a controlled manner.” The question that persists in the technical committee is whether growing the plant would be allowed to obtain the drugs, or if they would only be allowed to be imported. The proponents have argued that medicinal cannabis is beneficial for people with chronic pain and diseases such as epilepsy. Other specialists ask that the results of investigations be taken into consideration about existing cannabis treatments. “Physicians are used to working with drugs based on research results” psychiatrist Carlos Smith told TVN News. “There are many more testimonials than results of research. It is not very responsible to throw us only people’s statements ” However, Smith considered that if there were any citizen who required treatment, “the State should be able to bring it and use it with the authorization of the relative “. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/health-committee-misses-cannabis-debate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieElaine Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Panama is a little behind the times on this one as most of the rest of the world has legalized it for medical purposes. It is about time. I know my late husbands chemo would have been much more horrible without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Doug Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Public opinion has dramatically shifted in the past couple of decades regarding marijuana, and not just for medical use. In the US, public support for full legalization has jumped from 31% in 2000 to over 60% today. As US drug policy has driven interdiction efforts throughout Central and South America for many years, the increasing weakening or even elimination of marijuana laws in the US will certainly have an influence on Panama and other countries in this hemisphere. To me, it seems inevitable that marijuana will be decriminalized in most countries. Taxing it will make more sense than seizing it. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/05/americans-support-marijuana-legalization/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieElaine Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 I agree Uncle D. I believe Colorado has increased tax revenue significantly after legalizing marijuana. Also, the quality is controlled so that nothing harmful finds it's way into anyones body. Now, if they would only start taxing and controlling the worlds "oldest profession" we would reap in more tax dollars I am sure. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2018 Moderator comment: Note the date of the below news article. We were queried as to some basis for the "Health Committee" to be involved in a discussion/debate about medical marijuana. Below is one article that provides the link. Quote Bill to legalize medical marijuana is introduced in Panamanian Parliament Jeniffer Mardelli Wed, 11/01/2017 - 20:01 On Tuesday, Panamanian government party deputy José Luis Castillo introduced a bill in Parliament to legalize liquid medical marijuana to end the smuggling of this product. “I am a physician and I am aware of the benefits of this plant to treat certain diseases. We are seeing how these laws are enforced satisfactorily in other countries. We do not intend to legalize liquid marijuana for recreational purposes, but strictly and exclusively for medical and therapeutic purposes,” said the deputy. Also, Castillo reported that it has been demonstrated that liquid marijuana is not as addictive as inhaled marijuana. Moreover, it can substantially benefit children with epilepsy, cancer patients and people suffering from chronic pain. Likewise, he explained that in countries like Colombia, Uruguay, Peru, and in some places in the United States, including Israel and Canada, cannabis-based medicines are legally used. The deputy who chairs the Parliament’s Committee on Labor, Health and Social Development wants to involve all segments of society before adopting the bill "to prevent future misinterpretation". “We want to take this National Assembly’s two month recess (November and December) to strengthen the draft bill and debate it as much as possible,” he said. http://www.panamatoday.com/panama/bill-legalize-medical-marijuana-introduced-panamanian-parliament-5672 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 I'd love to see it used here for epilepsy. We care for a Ngobe family with two epileptic children. The meds are real expensive and have a load of side effects that require lab tests on a regular basis. The meds they take are dangerous to abruptly stop and that often happens when poor folks can't pay for the meds. So we pay for the meds and insure the lab tests are done. I firmly believe that medicinal marijuana ( different from the smoking form with much less sedative effect) has a niche here. As a nurse I' d feel so much better if these children were not taking heavy drugs that they are now taking for their epilepsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted December 28, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted December 28, 2018 Quote Panama will host the first global summit for the use of medicinal cannabis Thu, 12/27/2018 - 16:20 Panama will host the first International Summit for the Acceleration of Therapeutic Cannabis Innovation "CannaTech 2019", which will bring together specialists from the medical cannabis sector in all its areas from February 12 to 13, the organizers informed today. The activity, which will concentrate the international leaders of the industry, will address issues such as the use of the plant in agricultural technology and innovation, business and finance, politics and regulation, science and medicine. The founder and executive director of Israel-Cannabis (iCan), Saul Kaye, said in a statement that Latin America is a key and emerging destination for the exploitation of cannabis. "The event will be attended by entrepreneurs and investors to meet with their counterparts and discuss about the business system and technological innovations," he said. The consumption of cannabis-based medicines is regulated in several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. According to the CannaTech organization, the international cannabis market has an estimated economic impact of 20,000 million dollars, a figure that could amount to 100,000 million by 2020 and is a sector that is professionalized and with rapidly expanding. https://www.panamatoday.com/panama/panama-will-host-first-global-summit-use-medicinal-cannabis-8791 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted February 14, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted February 14, 2019 Quote Medical marijuana will be established worldwide and Panama will play a vital role Wed, 02/13/2019 - 14:30 It will be a matter of about ten years for the industry linked to medical marijuana to be established worldwide, and Panama will play an important role for its solid economy and geographical position. This was said on Tuesday by experts, researchers and businessmen attending the first World Summit on Medicinal Cannabis in Panama, organized by CannaTech and iCAN: Israel-Cannabis and ending on Wednesday. CannaTech brings together the best experts in the world in the fields of science, medicine, finance, agricultural technology, innovation and government policy, with a focus on medicinal cannabis and all its opportunities. CannaTech shows companies and ideas at the forefront of the global cannabis industry, organizers of the forum said on its website. Researchers, scientists, experts in agricultural and pharmaceutical technology, regulators, investors, and cannabis entrepreneurs participate in the meeting. They emphasize that in this "explosive" and thriving industry, the government as regulator and the private company play an essential role, all in a legal frame. The Colombian Andrés Galofre -cofounder of the medicinal cannabis company Khiron Life Science Corp., the first Colombian company that trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and with operations in Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Uruguay- told to Acan-Efe that "This is an industry that is taking a giant force globally”. "Latin America is now a center of attention in the world and countries of the first world are turning to this area, to see not only the agriculture segment, but access to patients", said Galofre The president and founder of CannaTech and Israel-Cannabis (iCAN), Saul Kaye, estimated that in about 5 years this medical marijuana industry will stabilize at local and regional level, and in about 10 years worldwide. For the Canadian expert Jason Mardock these times can vary or be shortened, since with the backing of technology and cultural advances "it can be done in less time". Kaye indicated that basically what is intended to be done with this World Summit in Panama is to communicate the changes that are being applied in Israel in this matter. He explained that in Israel, medical marijuana has helped many people suffering from diseases such as epilepsy and anorexia, among others, and said: "we want to see how to take the research of this technology and this medicine to the whole world". The founder of iCAN indicated that the Summit was thought of in Panama, since it has one of the most stable economies in Latin America based on the dollar, and because it has historically been a business center and will also be for this industry of cannabis medicinal. In the Central American country are the facilities of the International Center of Excellence of TheraCann International (COE) in Panama Pacifico, on the shores of the Interoceanic Canal. TheraCann International offers full-service turnkey solutions for the regulated cannabis pharmaceutical industry, but its COE in Panama does not contain cannabis or related products, according to Canatech. The Panamanian Raymond Harari, founder of the Canalis Capital company, said that knowing the way it works as a logistics center and with all the impact of the Canal, the Colon Free Zone and other industrial areas, "Panama could import the raw material of this product, process it here, do all the processes of extraction, purification, and from there to be able to export it to the whole world". "This can generate a lot of work and opportunities for the country and a lot of foreign investments that are looking for logistics efficiency, a step that has not yet been touched in our industry but that if we do it in time we can position Panama as the country that take the reins in this aspect", said Harari. A bill that legalizes the use of liquid marijuana for medicinal purposes is stuck in the first of three debates in the Panamanian Parliament, after being presented in November 2017. https://www.panamatoday.com/life-style/medical-marijuana-will-be-established-worldwide-and-panama-will-play-vital-role-9240 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted August 29, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted August 29, 2021 Quote The ‘Green Gold’ Rush Posted 28/08/2021 The bill to legalize cannabis for medicinal use, which will grant licenses to process and grow marijuana, is something that must be viewed with more critical eyes. If patients feel that their medicinal derivatives serve their relief, it would be enough to import these products from the countries where they are manufactured. It is a procedure that is relatively short and would solve the problem of this population. However, it is worth wondering if the country - technically and institutionally speaking - is prepared to monitor and control what will surely be hundreds of hectares of cultivation of this plant. You just have to see that a company interested in these licenses decided to pay the trip to officials who will make decisions about it, and they accepted it, as if there was no conflict of interest. Our' institutions are going through their worst moment: politicians do not respect the law, much less ethics, so we have to ask ourselves why this rush, there are alternatives for patients. Do we have the best bill so that the activity it purports to regulate does not conflict with efforts to stop illegal activity? What we have seen so far are not the best examples. – LA PRENSA, Aug. 28. https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/the-green-gold-rush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod G Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 I am a medical cannabis physician retired to Panama. I used this medicine in Colorado for almost 3 years before moving here. There is no doubt that it has many life improving qualities. We would see at least 3 children a week with severe epilepsy who had their seizures either markedly reduced or completely controlled usually with just CBD alone (which appears to be legal in Panama). Most of my patients were over 50 and suffered from chronic pain and obtained great relief (we discouraged smoking it for chronic pain as it doesn't last long enough in the body). Quality control is extremely important and these products should be tested just like any other medication presented to the public. I'm hoping that we can at least educate the public about the benefits of CBD while waiting for a law to pass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 11, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted September 11, 2021 Quote Panama legalizes medical marijuana use Heidi Johnson | Vermont Law School, US AUGUST 31, 2021 04:39:57 PM Panama legalized medical marijuana use on Monday, joining at least seven other Latin American countries. After a five-year struggle, Panama’s national assembly unanimously passed Bill 153 during the bill’s third debate. Some members of the assembly shared that they were swayed by the initiative’s motto, “for a day without pain.” National Assembly President Crispiano Adames, joined by Marcos Castillero, championed Bill 153 to promote and ensure responsible access to medicinal cannabis products. He said that the bill was drafted in a way that seeks to prevent future smuggling by requiring a controlled environment. Adames believes the new law’s most significant achievement will be providing relief to deserving patients. The new medical marijuana use law prohibits commercial use of homegrown cannabis. Additionally, the bill requires officials to import cannabis in pill and liquid drop form. Panama’s Ministry of Health will be charged with distributing the medication to licensed pharmacies. To become licensed, pharmacies must apply for a permit and pass a site inspection. Marie Millard of the LUCES Panama Foundation hopes that the legal right to use marijuana for medical purposes will improve the lives of patients who currently rely on multiple ineffective medications. The LUCES foundation provides emergency medicine to patients with epilepsy because, according to their website, about 40 to 50 percent of Panama’s epilepsy patients do not have access to medicines. Millard believes medical marijuana use will alleviate patients’ symptoms of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chemo-induced nausea, and chronic pain. https://www.jurist.org/news/2021/08/panama-legalizes-medical-marijuana-use/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 25, 2021 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2021 Quote Flora Growth Signs Letter of Intent to Enter Panama, Applauds Recent Cannabis Law Reforms Posted September 20, 2021 in News from Panama Flora signs Letter of Intent with an international importer and distributor based in Panama to provide cannabinoid containing food and beverages through its Kasa Wholefoods division, and finished cannabis derivative products for medical cannabis patients Recent passage of cannabis legislative in Panama legalizes the use of medical cannabis and creates regulatory framework to monitor and control access. Pharmacies will be responsible for the distribution of medical cannabis products and will need to apply for a permit and pass a site inspection (valid initially for two years) Domestic production will take place, though only seven licenses for the manufacturing of cannabis seeds, plants, and derivatives will be granted Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) (“Flora” or the “Company”), a leading all-outdoor cultivator and manufacturer of global cannabis products and brands, is pleased to announce that Flora Growth has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (“LOI”) with Robust Farms Inc. (“Robust”), a Panamanian importer and distributor, to supply its premium cannabidiol (“CBD”) derivative products from its Kasa Wholefoods division. Additionally, Robust will be applying for its import license of cannabis products which Flora expects to ship its medical-grade cannabis products upon receipt of this updated licensing. “It’s important to recognize the continued trend of medical and adult-use cannabis legalization sweeping across the globe as governments increasingly recognize its therapeutic properties, and want to control, regulate, and tax these products to foster economic prosperity, as well as bring significant reform in civil rights and criminal justice” On August 30th, Panama’s National Legislative Assembly passed Bill 153 to legalize the use of medical cannabis and its therapeutic properties. It’s expected that Panama will become the first country in Central America to regulate the use of medical cannabis, however, the new regulations must be approved by President Laurentino Cortizo. The new law aims to promote and ensure monitored and controlled access to medical cannabis products by working with a number of government divisions and agencies. Some key highlights of the new legislation include: Patients that have been authorized to use medical cannabis based on specific clinical indications will have the right to access medical cannabis products through licensed pharmacies Domestic production will take place, though only seven licenses for the manufacturing of cannabis seeds, plants, and derivatives will be granted Pharmacies will be responsible for the distribution of medical cannabis products and will need to apply for a permit and pass a site inspection (valid initially for two years) The creation of the National Program for the Study of the Medicinal Use of Cannabis and its Derivatives to promote research and develop educational campaigns There is no provision for at home cultivation Advertising may only appear in scientific journals, not the media or social networks “It’s important to recognize the continued trend of medical and adult-use cannabis legalization sweeping across the globe as governments increasingly recognize its therapeutic properties, and want to control, regulate, and tax these products to foster economic prosperity, as well as bring significant reform in civil rights and criminal justice,” said Luis Merchan, President and CEO of Flora Growth. “We applaud the efforts of Panamanian legislators and advocacy groups to push forward this initiative that will ultimately help provide options for patients who are looking to improve their quality of life by utilizing emerging cannabinoid therapeutic treatments and look forward to working with local partners to provide our medical-grade cannabis products to the citizens of Panama.” “We’re extremely pleased to enter into this agreement with Flora in order to pre-emptively secure access to their medical-grade cannabis products – which we believe is the first of its kind to be announced since the cannabis legislation passed – and look forward to supplying our clients with Flora’s premium portfolio of CBD-infused and non-CBD food and beverage products in the short term,” said Maurice Holmes Mendez, CEO of Robust. “While the new proposed framework awaits signature from the President, our team is hard at work building out our traditional and medical cannabis sales channels in the LATAM region, which relies heavily on working with experienced business partners and healthcare practitioners.” https://panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com/blog/news-from-panama/flora-growth-signs-letter-intent-enter-panama-applauds-recent-cannabis-law-reforms/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted October 16, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted October 16, 2021 Quote Panama Set to Have Legal Medical Cannabis, But Hemp Bill Stalls OCTOBER 10, 2021 Back in October 2019, Deputy Kayra Harding introduced a bill (Proyecto de Ley No. 323) to promote the development of the hemp industry in Panama. The bill would establish a licensing regime for hemp cultivation and processing. Hemp is defined as cannabis whose THC content does not exceed 1.5% on a dry weight basis. However, legislative consideration of the bill has been slow. Last October, government and legislative representatives agreed to establish a subcommission to “enrich” the bill. According to commentator Rafael Carles, it is ignorance when it comes to hemp and how it differs from marijuana that is behind the delays. At the same time, there are concerns within the Panamanian citizenry that the development of the hemp industry will only advance powerful business interests. These two explanations are not mutually exclusive, as demonstrated by this reader comment on a recent Carles column: “Beware Panama! Now entrepreneurs want to make a profit from your vices, it is not just alcohol and beer. Now it is with drugs, but with a different name, calling the marijuana plant hemp.” It does not help that Panama’s medical cannabis legalization has been tainted by accusations of corruption. According to one report, Canadian company Canna Med Panama, SA “was not only attentive to the debates in the National Assembly to approve Bill 153, which seeks to regulate the use of medicinal cannabis, but also sponsored a trip to Louisiana by five officials, some key in making decisions about the future business of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.” Bill 153 was approved last August by the National Assembly and is pending signature by the country’s president. The new legislation established four license categories: importation of cannabis derivates, production cannabis derivates, cultivation, and research. In the case of license applicants who are natural persons, the new law requires them to provide their nationality, which logically suggests that foreign nationals may be granted licenses; the bill is silent on whether Panamanian residence is requires. As to legal persons, the bill requires that they provide their Public Registry information, without clarifying if this includes analogous information, such as that in a Secretary of State’s registry in the United States (though we’ll go out on a limb and suggest it’s not that hard to open a subsidiary in Panama). Regulations issued after the bill becomes law may provide additional clarification. Once the bill is signed into law, Panama will be in a somewhat odd situation: It will gave a legal regime for medical cannabis, but not one for hemp. Hopefully the situation can soon be rectified, with the passage of Bill 323. For now, there’s a key takeaway for cannabis advocates throughout Latin America and other emerging markets. In regions with deep inequalities, licensing programs may be seen as giveaway for powerful interests, if not properly framed and explained. As with all other areas of governance, transparency is key. Moreover, cannabis legalization efforts may garner broader support if they are seen as economic opportunity vehicles for regular citizens. Provisions that ensure a part of the reaped profits go to those most in need can help. Relatedly, cannabis businesses, in particular those from abroad, must be careful when it comes to involvement in local politics. Backlashes against perceived corruption may derail otherwise-positive initiatives and fuel resentment against participating parties. https://harrisbricken.com/cannalawblog/panama-set-to-have-legal-medical-cannabis-but-hemp-bill-stalls/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted November 6, 2021 Moderators Share Posted November 6, 2021 Quote Panama would become the first Central American country to approve medical cannabis By Natalia Puertas Cavero.October 26, 2021 Panama is 90 days away from having the law ready and becoming the first country in Central America to allow the use of medical cannabis. After a long road led by activists who defend the legalization of cannabis for therapeutic and medicinal use, Panama's National Legislative Assembly approved at the end of August a bill that would legalize this substance. Today, Panama is 90 days away from having the law ready that would make the country the first to regulate cannabis use in Central America. The use of cannabis will be "for therapeutic, medical, veterinary, scientific and research purposes in the national territory," according to the text approved in August. "This measure comes to help hundreds of Panamanians who up to now have been unable to acquire this medicine in Panama", said Leandro Ávila, official deputy of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (social democrat). Following in the footsteps of countries like Mexico, a few months ago, or Uruguay, pioneer in Latin America, Panama promoted the project from the unicameral Assembly, led by Crispiano Adames, deputy of the ruling party. Those who promoted this law seek to improve the quality of life of people with glaucoma, epilepsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, migraines, convulsions and different types of pain, including cancer. Diseases that have been controlled over the years with the use of medical cannabis. The law will allow the import, export, cultivation, production and comercialization of cannabis and its derivatives through a series of licenses granted by the Panamanian state, which will be carried out in designated areas with limited access and under a control system with surveillance cameras. Finally, only pharmaceutical companies or companies specialized in therapeutic services will be able to acquire and commercialize it. The cannabis industry promises to be on the rise in the region, and although it is currently incipient, it is gaining strength in some countries that have already decided to regulate its development. https://aldianews.com/articles/culture/social/panama-would-become-first-central-american-country-approve-medical-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted September 2, 2022 Moderators Share Posted September 2, 2022 Quote Medicinal cannabis legalized in Panama Posted 01/09/2022 With the publication in the Official Gazette on Thursday, September 1, the executive decrees that regulate the medicinal use of cannabis came into force. Executive Decree 121 establishes the regulations of Law 242, in relation to the use and access of cannabis and its derivatives for therapeutic, medical, veterinary, scientific, and research purposes throughout the country. The regulation will be applicable to legal entities that import, export, plant, cultivate and market cannabis and its derivatives for medicinal or scientific purposes. The data of patients enrolled in the National Program for the Study and Medicinal Use of Cannabis and its derivatives are protected. https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/medicinal-cannabis-legalized-in-panama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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