Parliamentary front in defense of medicinal cannabis discusses cultivation in public hearing in SP

By Sechat editorial team, with information from Novo Party Press Office

The parliamentary front in defense of medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp will host experts on Wednesday (03/16) to discuss cannabis cultivation in the country. The third public hearing on the topic of 'Cultivation' aims to discuss the various experiences of planting cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes in Brazil, mapping best practices and the main difficulties for the development of cultivation in the country.

Currently, Brazil has more than 50,000 patients using therapeutic products based on cannabis, according to data from Kaya Mind consultancy based on a survey conducted with Anvisa and FACT, a federation that brings together therapeutic cannabis associations. Companies are currently allowed to set up factories, process, and sell cannabidiol in pharmacies, but cultivation is still prohibited in Brazil. 

Speakers - Cidinha Carvalho, a banker, mother of Clarian, diagnosed with Dravet syndrome and a patient using therapeutic cannabis. She is the president of the Cultive Cannabis and Health Association and a member of PBPD - Brazilian Platform of Drug Policies.

Sérgio Rocha, agronomist, geographer, and agroecology specialist, is the executive director and founder of ADWA Cannabis Research and Development, a company specializing in genetic improvement of cannabis. With degrees from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), PUCMinas, and IFSudeste MG, currently pursuing a master's degree in Genetics and Plant Breeding, focusing on cannabis, through the Graduate Program in Crop Science at UFV. He is a co-founder and member of the Brazilian Group of Studies on Cannabis Sativa UFV (CNPq) since 2017. He authored the first agroclimatic zoning for medicinal and industrial cannabis cultivation in Brazil (2018). He also proposed the introduction of cannabis as an agricultural crop in Brazil, with potential for medicinal and industrial use under the edafoclimatic conditions of the municipality of Viçosa-MG (2017) and is responsible for the country's first genetic improvement program for cannabis, with authorized cultivation and seed production since 2020.

Lorenzo Rolim - Agronomist from the University of California - Davis, six years ago, began his career with medicinal cannabis while still a student working in the local industry. He was in charge of Bedrocan Brasil, overseeing all the company's ventures in the country and South America. After leaving the company, Lorenzo became an independent consultant and associate of Rhizo Sciences, a consultancy for medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp production projects, participating in projects in Australia, New Zealand, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, and Chile. Currently, Lorenzo is the acting president of the Latin American Industrial Hemp Association (laiha.org) and Director of Production Development at TANGHO Green, a holding company investing in various projects focused on sustainability, environmental regeneration, environmentally friendly consumer supply chains, and large-scale industrial hemp production and processing. He is currently the agronomist in charge of the largest industrial hemp production area in Latin America, located in Paraguay, where around 4,000 hectares have been cultivated since 2019.

Rafael Redwood - Co-founder and CEO of USA Hemp. Leading the company's operations in the US, he coordinates the brand's medication production line. In 2019, the company started selling its products to Brazilian patients and is already one of the main exporters of cannabidiol in the country. In 2021, the brand showed a 60% growth in the country compared to the previous year, with accumulated sales revenue of $25 million, according to Exame magazine. According to The New Frontier Data, Brazil holds 24% of the Latin American market potential.

Parliamentary Front - Unprecedented in the country, it is composed of 21 deputies from twelve parties. Coordinated by Deputy Sérgio Victor (Novo), the parliamentary front aims to expand the discussion, improve legislation and public policies regarding cannabis and hemp regulation in the state, combat prejudice, and democratize the use of cannabis-based medicines through the Unified Health System (SUS). Bruno Pegoraro, from the Institute of Social and Economic Research on Cannabis (Ipsec), is the Front's executive secretary.

SERVICE

EVENT: Public hearing on the topic of 'Cultivation'

WHEN: Wednesday, March 16, 2022

TIME: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

WHERE: Virtual environment, via ZOOM, live

STREAMING: TV ALESP Link on Youtube: https://youtu.be/gYGYvgaWgok

Register at the link: https://bit.ly/audienciacultivo