The Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, Paulo Teixeira, advocated for the urgency in the processing of PL 399/2015, a bill that regulates the cultivation and commercialization of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes in Brazil. In an exclusive interview with Portal Sechat, Teixeira analyzed the current legislative scenario and confirmed the government's support for scientific initiatives in the interior of São Paulo.

Previously approved in a special committee, PL 399 faces a procedural obstacle before moving to the Senate. A motion presented by the conservative wing requires the text to be voted on by the plenary of the Chamber, which keeps the progress of the agenda temporarily suspended, after coming up for discussion in the plenary and being tabled.

For the minister, the path to unlock PL 399 is clear. Overcoming this stage in the plenary. "What we need is to defeat the motion. I think we can defeat it," Teixeira said, demonstrating confidence in political articulation.

The minister observes a growing acceptance of the topic, both among parliamentarians and in public opinion. According to him, the bill has enough popular support to advance. "This issue has the majority in society and also has the majority in the National Congress. But it cannot be voted on without debate," he added.

The Senate and family farming in PL 399

Paulo Teixeira envisions the Federal Senate as the ideal stage to improve the text of PL 399, incorporating fundamental social guarantees. The ministry's vision is to integrate the production of medicinal cannabis into public health policies, also strengthening small producers.

"I hope that in the Senate the proposals will be even more valued," the minister projected. Since the processing in the Chamber is already advanced, Teixeira believes that the fine-tuning phase will occur in the Reviewing House. "I think this is the new stage of PL 399. Ensuring a portion of the production for associations, for the SUS, and the supply of family farming to the industry," he pointed out.

Support for science aligned with the PL 399 debate

In addition to the political discussion on PL 399, the Ministry of Agrarian Development reinforced practical support for research. The focus is on the recently inaugurated Cannabis Research and Cultivation Center at the São Paulo State University (Unesp) campus in Ilha Solteira.

The project, located on a 5.5-hectare area, aims to develop technologies for plant management and the production of pharmaceutical inputs. The initiative aligns with the guidelines that PL 399 seeks to expand, addressing cannabis as a matter of public health and scientific sovereignty.

"We will support the project of Unesp Ilha Solteira because, in addition to drugs, it already exempts production for medicines and for scientific study. And this proposal from Unesp, from Ilha Solteira, precisely combines scientific research with the production of medicines. So we will support it," the minister assured.