Costa Rica’s Congress on Tuesday passed a bill which legalizes the use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes. The bill also allows marijuana cultivation for industrial use.
The cultivation and sale of adult-use marijuana for recreational purposes, however, will remain banned.
President Carlos Alvarado is now expected to sign the bill into law within days, reports Yahoo! News.
Boost Agricultural Sector; Provide Employment
Supporters of the bill say it will boost farmers and increase jobs.
Following Tuesday’s vote, Costa Rica joins a host of other Latin American countries where medical Cannabis is legal.
Adult-use marijuana, though, remains prohibited in most of the region except Uruguay. The government there in 2013 became the first country in the world to legalize it.
President Vetoed Earlier Version
Costa Rica’s bill wasn’t free of controversy.
President Alvarado vetoed an earlier version of the legislation. He claimed limits needed to be placed on individual cultivation and consumption, reports Mixmag.
“The veto did not affect the key components of this proposal,” said Senator Zoila Rosa Volio. She said the legislation “will bring investment, generate employment, allow access to millionaire markets, and reactivate the agricultural sector.”
Patients who will benefit from easier access to medical marijuana took to Twitter to thank Senator Volio. She’s the lawmaker who shepherded it through Congress.
One cancer patient, in fact, posted an emotional video describing how medical marijuana had helped her regain her appetite and walk again.
The amended bill now has the backing of the president. Alvarado even said it will be “of great benefit to Costa Rica.”
