Mexico releases long-awaited medical cannabis regulations

Mexico has published highly-anticipated regulations to underpin its medical cannabis industry, more than three years after an amendment to the General Health Law allowed medical cannabis use.

The long delay underscores a benefit of approaching the international medical marijuana industry with a conservative strategy.

Countries often legalize medical cannabis, only to see restrictive – or even delayed – regulations mute any business opportunities for years.

For instance, in 2019 Mexico’s main regulatory body for medical cannabis revoked key guidelines used as the basis for issuing dozens of import licenses for low-THC products, putting the status of those permits into question.

Mexico’s newest regulations could resolve issues for the industry.

These regulations have nothing to do with the country’s move to legalize adult-use cannabis and hemp for industrial purposes.

That has also been subject to numerous delays.

In December, the country’s Supreme Court extended the deadline for legislators to comply with a mandate to legalize recreational cannabis until the end of the next ordinary session period, which starts in February and ends in April.

Read Mexico’s new medical cannabis regulations here.