For Willian Dib, Chamber's cannabis committee could approve associative cultivation; watch

The special committee of the Chamber of Deputies analyzing the Bill on the sale of cannabis-based medicines (399/15) held its first public hearing on Tuesday (22). The President of the National Health Surveillance Agency, Willian Dib, was the first to be heard by the politicians and presented Anvisa's proposals for the regulation of cultivation and registration of medicines.

At the opening of the session, the committee's president, Deputy Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP), highlighted the work of associations in the treatment and cure of various patients throughout Brazil and questioned whether Anvisa's text would be too restrictive - excluding the work of these entities. Dib argued that Anvisa has a legal limitation in this regard, but that the Chamber could advance in regulation.

"The role of this committee is much broader than what Anvisa is proposing, you can go where we cannot. We are not able to address this, I don't think it's impossible, but at this moment what Anvisa can do is regulate cultivation with the security that the legislation granted to Anvisa gives us".

President Paulo Teixeira argued that Anvisa's regulation proposal will not prevent the committee from expanding cultivation to entities; however, he expressed concern about the progress of the proposals in the agency.

"I hope that the request for review is not procrastinating, not to postpone this approval indefinitely, but that the approval takes place and we can consider what conditions this committee will have to regulate areas that could not be addressed by Anvisa, given the limitation of its regulatory power. Approval does not hinder the further exploration that this committee can undertake".

Dib advocates for cannabis cultivation in Brazil

The President of Anvisa also argued in favor of marijuana cultivation for medicinal and research purposes in Brazil. He recalled that Brazil had a pharmaceutical input plant that was completely destroyed and that today, 90% of these inputs are imported.

"We cannot commit the same crime with cannabis. We are a promising country in this cultivation, with much less energy. You will be able to produce more and cheaper. This will make Brazil an importer of another commodity. This opportunity does not come every day. Soon there will be a patent for everything!".

Dib argued that the cannabis economy can generate billions of reais "in an economy that is struggling", and emphasized that "companies will produce quickly, it is a herbal remedy, not high technology".

PL author highlights concern about "big corporations"

Fábio Mitidieri (PSD/SE), author of the Bill being analyzed by the committee, expressed his concern for Brazil "not to create a big economic business for big corporations. The purpose of this Bill is to save lives, but we know there is an economic game behind it".

The parliamentarian also pointed out that Brazilian society has already overcome the issue of separating medicinal use from adult drug use and requested: "it's time for us to have modern legislation. Let the medicine be in the SUS."

The next meeting of the Special Committee will be next Tuesday (10/29) at 2 pm, when there will be a new public hearing, with deliberation of requests.