Set to lead the world in the production of industrialized hemp, Colombia needs to position itself to allow the export of cannabis flower.
There’s no doubt the cannabis industry is rapidly changing, and laws are lagging behind solid progress in research, production, and manufacturing of hemp-based goods. Even growing meccas like Colombia, which has some of the most fertile soils for producing quality hemp plants, perfect cannabis temperature, and communities to cultivate it are struggling to keep up with global demand.
Cannabis in Colombia
Currently, the Colombian government only allows cannabis flower to be exported for scientific research. One World Pharma reported on its website:
“According to Marijuana Business Daily, the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) wrote a letter suggesting that the Colombian government amends these regulations to allow exportation of cannabis flower for other purposes.
Seven percent of Colombia’s economic income stems from Agriculture which can grow abundantly if government regulations are amended. $5 million (USD) of revenue comes from the country’s exportation of CBD products to the US, UK, and Australia- according to a study conducted by Colombia’s largest industry association, Asocolcanna.
General counsel member of Columbian medical cannabis producer NatuEra, Camilo De Guzman told MJBizDaily; “Allowing flower exports makes strategic sense.”
The president of Asocolcanna, Rodrigo Arcila, also shared their two cents that reaffirms what Guzman said; “It’s critical that Colombia’s regulatory framework remains competitive and allows companies to access new markets, increase revenue and attract further investment.”
If money makes the world go round, then marijuana is going to make heads spin and those who try to stand in the way of global progress will be left high and dry.
Colombia Has the Perfect Environment for Cannabis
One World Pharma also explained that, with land that can be purchased at low costs, the perfect climate and low agriculture supplies and labor costs; open field growers as well as greenhouses can produce up to four crops per year. That’s impressive turnover for any harvest, but this makes hemp one of the fastest replenishing and environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. From medicine to manufacturing, it’s the wave of the future.
“No need for large greenhouse productions with excess manufacturing equipment like costly indoor growing lights in a beautiful place like Colombia. The general consensus of those in the industry seem to gather that it makes little to no sense to restrict exportation in a country where the people would benefit greatly.
The majority of cannabis industry companies in Colombia are owned by foreign countries’ associations. According to Prohibition Partners, 70% of the cannabis companies in Colombia are owned by international businesses, leaving 30% of local companies to benefit from the industry’s growth,” the One World Pharma website reports.
It would seem that even Colombia is doing a better job of keeping up with the times than American cannabis industry and law.
What Are We Waiting For?
As usual, the world waits on its political representatives to do what’s in the best interest of its citizens. And of course, these things take time. In Colombia, things are no different than in America. Colombian cannabis was decriminalized in 2012. They legalized it in 2016 and just a few years later in 2019, the government ruled that public consumption is no longer banned.
In the United States, the Farm Bill of 2018 removed hemp (containing less than .3% THC per dry weight) from the federal list of controlled substances. Today, all but five states have legalized cannabis in some form or another, from ultra-progressive states like Oregon to deep red states like Georgia.
Some are even making moves to legalize psychedelics with a swiftness that could give any marijuana activist whiplash. Who’d have thought you could go buy psilocybin mushrooms while people are still being arrested for minor pot offenses in states where even medical cannabis clinics line Main Street, USA.
Pharmaceutical companies are even mass-producing therapeutic ketamine, cocaine nasal sprays (scheduled as a level II narcotic and deemed safer and with more medicinal qualities than cannabis), and synthetic THC. All of these were given the government stamp of approval despite harmful side effects including the potential for deadly overdoses.
Can We Count on Colombia?
If history has proven anything it’s that people will do anything if the money is right, and the money is in the growing cannabis industry. When global leaders of the industry like Colombia make moves, the world listens and follows suit.
It seems as though we can count on Colombia to do the right thing and amend their laws to allow the exportation of cannabis flower for more than scientific research. The world is waiting.