Medicinal Cannabis: ANVISA decisions put regulation back into debate

Is ANVISA lost again regarding Medicinal Cannabis in Brazil? The question I open this article with is not rhetorical, but a cry of anguish echoing in the homes of thousands of Brazilian families. With each new "deliberation" by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), the feeling is of a painful déjà vu: the health and dignity of patients continue to be held hostage by a bureaucracy that seems more lost than cautious.

The history of the fight for Medicinal Cannabis in Brazil is marked by the courage of families who had to go to court to guarantee the basic right to life. As science advances, regulation in Brazil stagnates, ignoring the urgency of those who cannot wait. ANVISA, which should be the guardian of public health, ironically becomes the biggest obstacle to access.

The most recent news, the extension of the deadline given by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) for the regulation of cultivation until March 2026, is another chapter in this saga of postponements. For those who experience the daily pain of a loved one, the promise of "more time" sounds like mockery. It is the formalization that the health of our children and family members is not a priority.

The icing on the cake of inaction is Notice of Calling Nº 23/2025, published by the Agency to "gather scientific evidence" about cultivation. With nearly a decade of medicinal use in the country, and with global science already established, we question: what evidence does ANVISA still need? This attitude sounds like a delaying tactic, a testament that the Agency refuses to face reality.

The impact of this inaction is felt directly in the pockets and souls of families. By blocking national cultivation, ANVISA condemns us to expensive and bureaucratic imports, turning treatment into a privilege for a few. Life cannot be a luxury, and health should not depend on a family's financial capacity.

Behind the regulatory slowness lies a veiled prejudice that hides under the guise of "health caution." It is the irrational fear of the plant that still dominates the debate, to the detriment of compassion and scientific evidence. Politics, once again, speaks louder than the right to life, as we have criticized on other occasions.

The issue of Medicinal Cannabis is, above all, human. It is about the mother who sees her child's smile return, about the father who regains hope, about the dignity of a patient who finds relief. It is the story of my Anny, and many others, that prove the plant is medicine, not a taboo to be maintained.

For those who still carry prejudice, an empathetic look is needed. We are not talking about "drugs," but about a validated treatment that restores quality of life. The fight is not ideological, but existential. It is an appeal to reason and heart, to separate myth from medicine.

The solution for fair and sovereign access has always been on ANVISA's table: cultivation. The release of cultivation for medicinal and research purposes is the fastest way to reduce costs, ensure quality, and Brazil's self-sufficiency. Insisting on ignoring this path is what makes us question the Agency's true intention.

No more waiting for March 2026, or any other date imposed by inaction. ANVISA needs courage to assume its leadership role, putting life above ideology and fear. Health does not wait, and the families' fight for full and fair access to Medicinal Cannabis will continue, with the certainty that truth and humanity are on our side.