Brazil issues first license for sale of a cannabis-based drug

Brazilian healthcare regulator Anvisa on Monday said it had issued the country's first license for sale of a cannabis-based drug in the country after years of legal wrangling with patients.

The multiple sclerosis treatment, an oral spray derived from marijuana and developed by Britain's GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, is known as Sativex internationally and will be sold in Brazil under the brand name Mevatyl.

The legal status of cannabis-based drugs has been a thorny issue in Brazil for years, with several patients fighting in the courts to circumvent prohibition. Anvisa has loosened some restrictions in the past two years, allowing patients with medical orders to personally import some drugs derived from marijuana.

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Thumbnail: Flickr CC Diego Charlón Sánchez