Minas Gerais discusses the distribution of cannabis-based products for medicinal use by the SUS

On next Friday (4/26), the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais (ALMG) will host an important debate on the distribution of cannabis-based products for medicinal use by the Unified Health System (SUS). The event, promoted under the signature of seven deputies, aims to bring to light a discussion that is already underway in at least 24 federative units.

The initiative, led by Deputy Beatriz Cerqueira (PT) and other parliamentarians such as Roberto Andrade (PRD), Zé Guilherme (PP), Ana Paula Siqueira (Rede), Andréia de Jesus (PT), and Ione Pinheiro (União-Brasil), will take place in the Commission of Science and Technology of ALMG. The debate will feature the presence of doctors, lawyers, and specialists on the subject.

Beatriz Cerqueira, also the president of the Commission, is the author of PL 3.274/2021, which aims to regulate the provision of cannabidiol-based medicines by the state’s public health system. In an interview with the newspaper Estado de Minas, she emphasized that Minas Gerais is lagging behind in relation to distribution by the SUS.

"The entire country is advancing in the availability of cannabis through the SUS; the benefits are undeniable. That’s why we are bringing so many professionals from different areas to demonstrate the importance. The expectation is that we can advance with this agenda here in the Assembly and in Minas Gerais, which will benefit many people."

Minas is one of the few states that still do not have approved legislation on the free distribution of cannabidiol-based medicines. Meanwhile, laws have been passed in several other states, such as São Paulo, Paraná, and Rio Grande do Norte, aiming for distribution through the SUS.

Currently, to obtain the medication for free, the patient needs a judicial injunction, which limits access to treatments only for people with high purchasing power.

Lucas Candini, vice president of the Medicinal Cannabis Association, highlighted the importance of the debates at ALMG, emphasizing that Minas Gerais, being one of the most populous states in Brazil, has the potential to lead this discussion.

At ALMG, the debate will be divided into three panels, addressing the importance and advances in the therapeutic and medicinal use of cannabis, academic research on medicinal cannabis, and public policies for access to cannabis treatment for the population.

While the national discussion on the topic remains on hold, states have been seeking solutions on their own. São Paulo, for example, has already defined the regulation of CBD-based products that will be provided by the SUS, with the start of distribution scheduled for May. 

Source: Jornal Estado de Minas