Cannabis, a millionaire company waiting for a political decision

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María Laura Sandoval is an Argentinean specialist in tourism consulting and CSR. In 2014, he immersed himself in Uruguay, attracted by the medical cannabis and hemp industry. He is currently CEO of Cannabis Austral, the first Argentine consulting firm specializing in this topic for governments and private companies worldwide. It is also a promoter of CamAICann's foundation with Nicolás Heller, another Argentinian from the computer sector of the cannabis industry.

Sandoval adds, "This allows a regulatory framework to give equal benefits to domestic and foreign companies – today, our agricultural sector must travel to Uruguay not to miss an opportunity – and also manages the projections. d & # 39; impact; For example, some countries allow the importation of raw materials until local production reaches industry. Just as extension of cultivation in hectares must be programmed not to kill regional cultivars ".

The CEO of Cannabis Austral works with other entrepreneurs to the proposal of an Argentine regulatory framework emanating from CamAICann (Argentine Chamber of the Cannabis Industry).

SEE IF SIZE – marco algorta.jpg

Marco Algorta is one of the most recognized entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry in the region. He currently directs the CECAM (Chamber of Medicinal Cannabis Companies) of Uruguay and is a diligent actor of the most important business tables in Brazil and Argentina.

For his part, Marco Algorta says that "the question is no longer whether the medical use of cannabis will be regulated in the world, but when and how will it be regulated? The scenario is made up, on the one hand, of patients with various diagnoses that cannabinoids require, and on the other hand, of an international context that favors the regulation of cannabis derivatives ".

Algorta adds, "Argentina's potential in the sector is enormous and, in the agri-food sector, it refers to what Argentineans know best. I think they should hurry, because it's going very fast, it's a very agile industry and Argentina has not yet defined its rules of the game. "

In this sense, Sandoval insists: "In our country, provincial governments are added, two new provinces that conclude agreements with INTA and Conicet will soon be informed, as indicated by our law. Many others are developing projects, even some municipal governments are encouraged to join this industry. The problem is that everything comes from the Law 35050, which is intended for research and medical use, so it does not propose admission protocols or licenses. In other words, it does not project impacts like any other economic activity, impacts that are beneficial for our communities and our national investment capitals. "

According to Sandoval, "all the bills I've seen so far are about the demand for health, but none of them badesses the regulatory framework of the industry itself. . This is dangerous because ambiguous and rare norms are established which do not take into account the economic development of the Argentinean communities, not only medical cannabis, but also hemp, which feeds sub-industries such as textile, food, bioenergy, construction, bioplastics. Especially because without an income protocol, we do not know the origin of the capital funds that we currently have in the country's industry. The companies of the sector already established in our country are international and all have foreign capital. However, our powerful agricultural and industrial sectors can not invest and must take responsibility. budget productive investments to other regulated countries. This adds to the Argentine crisis a loss of billions of dollars for our regional economies and the cascading effects of knowledge management, public and private health, technology and international competition. "

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Gastón Rodríguez Lepera is a Uruguayan teacher and industrial designer. He has been a pioneer in the regulation of the cannabis industry in South America, working in the normative picture regarding the use by adults, drugs and pharmacy distribution, while he There was no model in our region to copy. He currently leads HGSM Consulting from San Pablo, Brazil.

Gastón Rodríguez Lepera answers the question of the value of a regulatory framework in Argentina: "This is worth billions. The New Frontier Data Report for 2019 predicts a value of $ 1,000 million for the cannabis-based drug sector in Argentina, half the value of the Brazilian market with five times the population. This forecast is not counting the "hemp", which would be the industrial culture for the derivatives market. He explains that "the regulatory framework determines the rules of the game, marks the ground. Argentina takes time to mature its decision, but when the players will organize, they will have an attack force to take control of the match. This badogy with football is relevant because the agricultural industry, in addition to the pharmaceutical industry, is a giant machine that is gradually discovering the economic potential of culture and its derivatives as a product of the world. ;export. "

Finally, Sandoval concludes: "If Argentina had not been afraid to talk about a regulatory framework that transparently takes into account the actions of incoming companies, we would now have a sector that would mobilize millions of dollars of investment. in a real and productive economy and by projecting exports. semi-finished and elaborate products that contribute to a new value-added agricultural matrix and reinforcing the instability of regional economies ".

"Unfortunately, this new restriction of foreign exchange movements continues to favor the major players in the sector (Canadians and Americans) and is confined to the productive investment sector, even avoiding the exploitation of their projects in regulated countries. This represents a loss of several million dollars for the Argentineans. "