Brazil considers reclassifying cannabidiol as medication

The Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) is considering reclassifying cannabidiol as a medicine. Anvisa acting President Ivo Bucaresky said that the studies conducted by the agency show that “there is no evidence in [scientific] literature that it leads to addiction or to people 'getting stoned'.” Cannabidiol is a substance found in leaves of marijuana (Cannabis sativa), used in the treatment of neurological diseases, cancer, Parkinson's disease, among others.

“Cannabidiol was included on List E, which is the list of plants that can produce narcotic and psychotropic substances, and on List F, with substances outlawed in Brazil. In case it is reclassified, it goes to List C1, with controlled medicines,” Bucaresky said. Reclassification will make it easier for the substance to be imported by legal persons and used in research.

Since April this year, Anvisa has received over 200 requests for imported cannabidiol, of which 184 were granted, while the rest is pending analysis. According to Bucaresky, rejections have been issued within a period of nine days. Brazilian law forbids the importation of cannabidiol, but after a family was granted the right to buy it from overseas by a court ruling, Anvisa started to allow its importation after an individual case analysis.

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