Brazil is still a long way from Uruguay, the first country in the world to legalize and regulate the production of cannabis. But the strict legislation around the use of cannabis is weakening a little in the country with the authorization given to the use of cannabidiol (CBD), a drug derived from the marijuana.
This cannabinoid, unlike THC, is not addictive and its use for therapeutic purposes has already been recognized by scientific studies, in particular to treat seizures, nausea, inflammation, schizophrenia or even epilepsy.
It is for this therapeutic reason and after having ruled out the risk of dependence that the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has decided to drop ballast on the legislation. This removal of CBD from the list of prohibited substances for sale follows the green light given to neurologists, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists to prescribe it to their patients.
For patients suffering from pathologies such as epilepsy, this authorization of CBD constitutes a major advance: “It is a great victory, a great change for all children who suffer from epilepsy”, enthusiastically told AFP , Valdir Francisco Vaz, a Brazilian whose son has been using CBD treatment since 2014 to cope with his illness.
With the lifting of this ban, the deadlines for importing cannabidiol into Brazil are expected to be reduced. Scientific research into the therapeutic applications of CBD is expected to advance.
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