For the first time in the country, a medicinal cannabis cultivation center has been authorized – 04/02/2019

The Ministry of National Security has allowed the first center for the study and cultivation of medicinal cannabis, who will work on a farm Jujuy. The measure was signed by the Minister Patricia Bullrich and it was published on Monday in the Official Journal.

Thus, the first authorization was granted in Argentina for a space dedicated to the study and research of the medicinal use of the cannabis plant, its derivatives and unconventional treatments, as stated in Law 27,350 promulgated in 2017.

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The procedure was requested by the governor of Jujuy, Gerardo Morales, in August 2018. "This is a purely state project." The governor warned against the incongruity and contradiction that a national law allows the use and medical research of cannabis, but still forces patients from certain pathologies to the black market, "he explains. -he. Clarin Gastón Morales, son of the governor and president of Cannabis Avatara Sociedad del Estado.

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"The main goal is to overcome this contradiction and to develop a process that allows have a cannabis oil or other medicinal derivative affordable cannabis, knowing its origin and its production process, "continues Morales.The project seeks to change the productive matrix of the province.

Cannabis Avatara has teamed up with Green Leaf Farms International, located in the United States, which has been dedicated to this industry for 8 years. This company will provide the necessary funds for the production, manufacturing and distribution stages.

They have been working on the subject for six months. According to the government of Jujuy, they will be able to start importing in two weeks. sativa cannabis seeds "for the first time in history legally."

However, the final date will depend on the national authorities that intervene, such as the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Health, INTA, the Seed Institute (INASE), SENASA, Customs and the # 39; AFIP.

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Once the seeds are in the soil, they begin the first stage, namely germination. Then they will cultivate. They will perform the transplant in the field and from there, badysis and testing of the adaptation of different varieties of cannabis plants to the climate of the province. Finally, a plan on an industrial scale will be designed.

The place chosen for the culture is the Finca El Pongo, located on the provincial road No. 1, in the city of Perico in Jujuy. They will be used between 5 and 15 hectares, something that will depend on the behavior of the seeds and the adaptation to the ground.

The national gendarmerie was responsible for the inspection of this land. "Based on a comprehensive technical badysis by specialists of the federal force, it was concluded that the institution had all the necessary safety rules and that it complied with the legal guidelines "said the Ministry of Security in a statement.

In addition, to prevent any criminal event, a video surveillance system linked to line 911 was installed on the farm.

Once the harvest is over, the oil will be made in the free zone of Jujuy province. At this moment, another road begins, in which ANMAT intervenes, which will determine the conditions allowing its use in the public health system and, ultimately, its commercialization.

As, for the moment, the sale is not envisaged in Argentina, "the first lot will surely be exported to the legal markets of the world," said Morales.

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The oil will be intended for use in all conditions authorized by the Secretary of Health of the nation. Currently, it is activated only for refractory epilepsy. But the province of Jujuy – through its Ministry of Health and in accordance with its provincial laws – made the decision to expand to other pathologies like, for example, cancer pain and fibromyalgia-related pain.

"The list of pathologies to which the medical use of cannabis can be opened is large and is related to the scientific and academic base that the world currently provides in research and clinical trials," explains Morales.

However, he is still latent the project to make three hectares of greenhouse with two other companies with which the state is in partnership, namely the Canadian Aphria (leader of the medicinal cannabis industry in his country) and the Chilean laboratory Knop. But these agreements are not yet concluded.