Argentine Congress overwhelmingly approves cannabis oil for medical use
The Argentine Senate unanimously approved the legalization of cannabis oil for medicinal use this evening, making the bill ready to be sent to President Mauricio Macri's desk for his signature.
Its passage in the Senate, with all 58 senators (out of 72) present voting in the affirmative, comes a full four months after the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, did so on November 23 with 221 voting aye and just one abstention (out of 257).
President Macri, who as mayor of Buenos Aires staunchly opposed legalization of cannabis or any narcotic and who was narrowly elected in 2015 on a law-and-order platform, has not indicated whether he intends to sign the bill; but all members of his right-wing "Let's Change" caucus present in today's session voted for the popular measure.
The bill allows the Argentine Government to import and eventually cultivate marijuana for the distribution of cannabis oil to anyone in Argentina with a prescription. It falls short, however, of demands made by medical cannabis use advocates, which included the establishment of permits for those willing to cultivate their own.
The original version proposed by the center-left Front for Victory (FpV) caucus included these permits; but the provision was struck from the final version due to opposition from Macri's "Let's Change" caucus.
Mariana Quiroga of the advocacy group Mamá Cultiva, which represents those who already grow marijuana for the treatment of loved ones with painful chronic conditions, applauded the bill but noted that it "still leaves us unprotected from a State which persecutes us for growing marijuana, which for years has been the best medicine we've ever found for our loved ones in pain."
Alejandro Cibotti of the Network of Medicinal Cannabis Users (RUCAM) agreed, noting that besides allowing those with chronic pain to live normal lives it allows them to discontinue the use of Methadone and other highly addictive opiates.
Flexible and creative
Congresswoman Nilda Garré of the FpV, who supported the bill, called on Macri to be "flexible and creative in helping people deal with their health problems." Garré pointed to the fact that 20 European countries, 23 U.S. states, Canada, Chile, and Uruguay - as well as two Argentine provinces - already have such legislation on the books.
The Argentine Supreme Court in 2009 ruled it unconstitutional to prosecute citizens for possessing narcotics solely for personal use. The number of prison sentences issued under the country's Narcotics Law - many of which involved marijuana - nevertheless rose from 2,000 annually in 2009 to 3,000 currently.
The bill passed today does not address decriminalization in general, or the legal situation of those currently in prison for cultivation - even for medicinal use. One such case, Adriana Funaro, was sentenced to house arrest in February for growing marijuana to treat a hereditary osteoarthritis condition.
"We're persecuted no matter what the proof," she lamented. Her sentence was affirmed on appeal the day before passage of this bill.
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