Ribeirão Pires inaugurates Brazil's first public medical cannabis clinic
Pioneering service from the City Hall and Flor da Vida Association will provide free care, through SUS, to patients with ASD and other specific conditions
Ribeirão Pires inaugurates this Wednesday (19) Brazil's first public clinic for medical cannabis produced in national territory. A pioneering initiative by the City Hall, in partnership with Flor da Vida Association, ensuring the free supply of oils based on cannabidiol for residents with medical prescription.
Initially, up to 50 new patients will be served per month, for cases of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, and fibromyalgia. Priority will be given to people in greater social vulnerability, one of the criteria for dispensing medications by the municipal health network.
“It is a matter of great pride to be the first Brazilian city to have a public clinic that will guarantee free access to medical cannabis for those who need it most. The result of a lot of work, a lot of dialogue, to break patterns and bring innovation, science, as a key to transforming lives for the better,” highlighted Mayor Guto Volpi.
“Ribeirão Pires once again becomes a national reference in good management and public policies. I thank all the professionals involved, especially Flor da Vida Association,” he concluded.
The Public Medical Cannabis Clinic of Ribeirão Pires will be installed in an area granted by the City Hall to Flor da Vida Association, at Centro Ibrahim Alves de Lima – next to the Salt Factory. At the location, patients with medical prescriptions made by professionals from the municipal health network will undergo psychological evaluation, social assistance, and their requests will be evaluated by a specialized team.
Flor da Vida Association is based in Franca, where it grows and produces oils based on cannabidiol, indicated for the treatment of diseases and health conditions. The City Hall has been seeking resources to make the project viable and has already secured R$ 550,000 in amendments from state deputies Caio França and Eduardo Suplicy, who lead the discussions of the Parliamentary Front for the sector at ALESP (São Paulo State Legislative Assembly).
Ribeirão Pires was the first city in São Paulo to create, in March 2022, a specific law for the implementation of a Municipal Policy for plant-derived medicinal drugs based on cannabidiol, in association with other cannabinoid substances (Municipal Law No. 6,737/22). The project was proposed by Mayor Guto Volpi, then a councilor, and by Edmar Oldani.
The legislation establishes, among other points, actions that enable the diagnosis and treatment of patients for whom medical cannabis has proven efficacy, as well as the promotion of public policies for debate and provision of information regarding the use of cannabis medicine.