Different references of the medical cannabis and industrial hemp industryyou They urgently requested the Government for a “positive” regulation to stop suffocating a sector that is eager for greater formalizationwhich could contribute to increasing the fiscal surplus. In parallel, they assured that the recent measures taken by the Hemp and Medicinal Cannabis Agency (ARICCAME) leave practically all medicinal users helpless.
Since last Friday and until Sunday, the Cannabis Expo 2024the most important event on the sector in the region, which had the participation of 120 companies and 500 national and international brands, although For the first time in years it did not have the presence of public officials.
The opening of the event took place with a very critical speech towards the Government: “We are an industry persecuted by the State for a long time. After four years in which there was unprecedented support that allowed us to have regulatory frameworks to take off, although not ideal, in recent months we have witnessed a very strong attack” , expressed Sebastian Basaloone of the organizers.
To reflect the damage that the industry is suffering, the director of THC magazine made particular mention of the official decision to suspend the registrations of new genetics and the possibility of selling already registered genetics, and assured that “Many SMEs are experiencing a very significant situation of suffocation, which leaves them on the verge of melting down. since they invested a lot of money and now they have warehouses full of products.”
It is worth remembering that, in addition to suspending the registrations, the Government appointed Ignacio Ferrari as auditor of ARICCAME, who then made the decision to repeal Resolution 02/2023which allowed the granting of provisional permits so that companies can adapt to the new Law 27,699. At the end of the year, there were 56 projects approved by the Ministry of Health and authorized to be retrofitted.
Medical cannabis users, abandoned by the new regulations
According to the few details provided by the current management of the agency, the idea is to start the regulation from scratch, with a first stage that contemplates only non-psychoactive hemp seed, grain or fiber production projects (with a THC concentration of less than 1%) and a second stage that covers the production of cannabis flowers with high CBD content.
In this way, Luis Osler, president of the Industrial Chamber of Cannabis and Hemp (Caincca), told Ámbito, “today more than 100% of medical cannabis users are being exceeded.” and when the permits for CBD are regulated, 95% will still be left out.” The sector leader added that to this abandonment is added the inefficiency of Reprocann, a system designed to register medicinal users and allow them access to certified products. .
Osler was one of the protagonists of the segment of panels and keynote conferences at the Cannabis Expo, which had the objective of providing information and vision from the sector’s leaders. Members of the consultancy Mobiuswho also had their place as exhibitors, also questioned the fact that the new standard does not talk about cannabis, taking into account that, Of the 56 genetics that had been registered, 50 were cannabis and only six were hemp.
Cannabis Expo 4
They maintained the same Lucas Nosigliaformer president of the Latin American subsidiary of the Canadian biopharmaceutical company Avicanna Latam, and Alejandro Mancusofounder of the Botanicanns firm. “The greatest therapeutic impact of cannabis is with THC. There is enough medical evidence to determine what is appropriate in each case,” said Nosiglia, while Mancuso highlighted the “absurdity” of continuing to differentiate THC from the rest of the components of the plant since “each pathology needs different things“which requires the development of “an infinite number of genetics”.
“Anyone who wants to see the medicinal value of THC can do so by scanning a QR on the companies’ websites, in addition to the fact that there are 100 international papers for each pathology that is treated with this component. Having to explain these properties 15 years after we explained them is prehistoricalthough we have the necessary patience to discuss them and teach them as many times as necessary. We have to see if there is that will on the other side,” Osler added in this regard.
Is the Government missing out on an important source of tax collection?
In several of the Expo panels it was highlighted that, in the absence of the National State, the provinces are taking over. “The provinces are beginning to develop independent projects and with good reason because they need production, employment and access (we are not even talking about free access) to medicine. The industry is hunkering down waiting to move forward in the face of money laundering and legalization“, deepened the Caincca headline.
Faced with this uncertain outlook, Moebius views with concern this “administrative silence” around a value chain that can be very helpful to the Government since “has the capacity to contribute to the treasury“and can also be very useful for rotating crops that have decreasing returns.
Regarding the fiscal potential of the cannabis industry, a report prepared by Cainnca in collaboration with the Cannabis Observatory of the National University of José C. Paz and the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Studies on Cannabis of the University of Quilmes projected that Annual collection in taxes and other income could reach about US$441 million.
Federico Cimaanother of the speakers at the Expo for his traceability tasks in cannabis cultivation, from the dried flower to the package, was also forceful when pointing out that “producers want to pay taxes and be regularized“.
Duki Cannabis Expo
An unconventional liberalism
Osler not only expressed his astonishment at the lack of pragmatism of the ruling party but also at the “conservative” nature of cannabis policy by a Government “that talks all the time about freedom”. The lawyer, a specialist in criminal law and guarantees, remarked that “this is one of the few industries that generated a lot without subsidies, fighting against everything and without a rift between its actors,” which is why “it is not going to stop because of an absurd resolution.” “.
Therefore, the specialist explained that Companies only need “proactive regulation”, with “legal certainty” and “licenses that last five years”.
“I have no doubt that this will end with extensive regulation, sooner or later, because the world is heading towards that.. The US, which was the cradle of cannabis prohibition, is carrying out its policies with a harm reduction orientation, I don’t think so much for the health of the population but to take advantage of 100% of the market. It is no coincidence that they have raised the internal list of THC from 1 to 3, which excludes it from the most dangerous list and allows the banking of its commercialization,” he stated.
Source: Ambito
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