Medical Cannabis: Understand What It Is, What It's For, and the Rules in Brazil

The term "medical cannabis" refers to the therapeutic use of the Cannabis sativa plant, when grown and processed specifically to generate compounds that can bring health benefits.

The main components with medicinal potential are cannabinoids, among which Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) stand out, which are used individually or in combination, depending on the formulation.

Main indications and recognized benefits

Medical cannabis has been used, with increasing support from scientific evidence and medical attention, to treat or alleviate symptoms of various conditions, including:

• Chronic pain, including neuropathic pain
• Neurological diseases, such as epilepsy resistant to classic treatments and spasticity from diseases like multiple sclerosis
• Symptoms associated with neurodegenerative or degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ongoing studies are evaluating these potentials
• Adverse effects of intensive treatments, such as chemotherapy — providing relief from symptoms like pain, nausea, discomfort
• Improvement in quality of life in chronic conditions or conditions with a significant impact on the patient's well-being

Although some indications are still in the phase of scientific validation, the scenario is increasingly promising. With each new study, we expand our understanding of how medical cannabis can act in the body and which patients benefit most from the treatment. 

The more research is conducted, the safer and more effective the therapeutic use becomes, strengthening clinical practice and opening the way for new possibilities in medicine.

Medical Cannabis in Brazil: Regulatory Advances and Access

The path of medical cannabis in Brazil had important milestones that helped make access more structured:

• In 2014, the first patient associations began to emerge, driven by court decisions that allowed access to cannabis oil in Brazil. 
• In 2015, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) removed cannabidiol from the list of prohibited substances, allowing the importation of cannabis-based products for medicinal use.
• In 2019, the sale of cannabis-derived products in pharmacies was regulated by Anvisa, with a medical prescription and under sanitary criteria.
• In 2022, RDC 660 was created to regulate the exceptional importation of cannabis-derived products by individuals, for personal use, with a medical prescription and registration with Anvisa.
• Starting in 2023, the first cases of judicial authorization for compounding pharmacies to manipulate cannabis derivatives began to emerge. 
• Currently, the country is discussing and evolving to allow national cultivation of the plant for medicinal purposes: STJ sets the final deadline as March 31, 2026.
• Anvisa also published in 2025 a notice to gather scientific evidence to support a regulation on the cultivation of the plant for medicinal and pharmaceutical purposes.
• Experts from various institutions recently proposed a regulatory framework to expand research and the medicinal use of cannabis, highlighting the need for clear and safe standards.

Challenges, Myths, and Care

Despite the progress, the use of medical cannabis still faces challenges and prejudices:

• There is a lack of robust clinical studies for many of the attributed indications, which means that some benefits are still under investigation.
• Regulation in Brazil, although it has advanced, still faces significant gaps: many of the products commercialized are imported, and national production, cultivation, and industrialization depend on new Anvisa regulations.
• Insufficient information or social prejudice still surround the topic. Some people confuse "medical cannabis" with recreational use, which can hinder access or stigmatize patients.
• Health professionals, patients, and society need ongoing education about the uses, limits, risks, and evidence of medical cannabis. Recent health education projects aim to break myths and promote qualified information.

Why the Current Moment is Strategic

With the recent publication of Anvisa's notice to gather studies on cultivation, coupled with the increasing mobilization of experts for a clearer regulatory framework for medical cannabis, Brazil is at a decisive moment. 

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If well regulated, the country can expand access to treatments, reduce import costs, stimulate national production, foster scientific research, and provide more security to patients and health professionals, strengthening medical cannabis as a legitimate and evidence-based tool in Brazilian medicine.

Medical cannabis has the potential to offer effective treatments and relief for various health conditions, especially when traditional options do not work. In Brazil, the regulatory path has advanced significantly, with medical prescription allowed and imports released, and today the discussion on cultivation and national production is expanding.

Regulation of cultivation for medical and scientific purposes in Brazil

The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) extended by another 180 days the deadline for the regulation of medical and scientific cannabis cultivation in Brazil, now scheduled for March 31, 2026. The decision was made after a vote by Minister Regina Helena Costa, during the IAC 16 trial.

Main points of the vote

• The process involves a complex structural dispute, requiring alignment between Anvisa, ministries, and civil society.
• Of the nine stages outlined in the plan, five have already been completed, including rules for seed importation and temporary registration of producers.
• The minister rejected the proposal for a fine for delays, stating that penalizing public coffers would be ineffective.

Last extension

Regina Helena emphasized that this will be the final deadline extension, conditioned on the government and Anvisa completing the intermediate stages.

What changes

With the plan's approval, the STJ maintains the expectation of progress in the regulation of cannabis cultivation in Brazil, a central issue for patients, companies, and researchers. The final decision — awaited for years — will now be in 2026.