<strong>Special Commission on Cannabis Law Created at the Federal OAB</strong>
The goal is to support the entity in public debate, address, forward, and resolve demands in the area, as well as present proposals to the board.
By João Negromonte
The President of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), José Alberto Simonetti, in the exercise of his legal powers, approved on April 13, 2023, the creation of the Special Commission on Cannabis Law, responsible for addressing demands related to the topic within the organization.
The goal is to contribute to strengthening public debate and support the entity through the addressing, forwarding, and resolution of specific demands. Additionally, it is the commission's responsibility to present innovative proposals to the board, in order to promote the progress of work related to the topic.
According to Dr. Harrison Araújo Almeida, a member of the Santa Catarina Association of Labor Lawyers and tasked with presiding over the commission: “this initiative demonstrates that the National OAB is concerned with the topic and aims to broaden the technical debate exclusively regarding medicinal use without entering into discussions about the use of the plant for other purposes.”
According to the jurist, the advancement of studies and the progressiveness in the use of cannabis as a medication, combined with the various positive results achieved by patients who resort to this treatment, strengthens the urgency for regulation.
“The number of lawyers resorting to judicial measures to guarantee access to health is increasing. This demonstrates that, in the current scenario, it is the Judiciary that intervenes and authorizes, through the granting of injunctions, the cultivation and consumption of the plant, since the Federal Legislative does not regulate the matter.
Araújo also emphasizes that within the OAB, the commission will provide technical-scientific support to existing commissions, expanding the number of topics and fostering knowledge to contribute to the class, especially to colleagues who defend the rights of patients wishing to use such medication.
“In the future, there are plans to discuss the use for industrial purposes, agribusiness, among others, extending the dialogue with groups and associations already active in this area,” concludes the current president of the National Special Commission on Medicinal Cannabis Law of the Federal OAB.