Colombia Needs To Improve Its Cannabis Export Regulations
Out of all of the countries on earth, you will be hard-pressed to find a country that is better suited to benefit from international cannabis reform than Colombia, at least from a raw cannabis production standpoint.
It is no secret that for many years Colombia has produced a significant amount of unregulated cannabis, thanks in large part to where the nation is located geographically and Colombia’s climate. Colombia is literally one of the best places on the planet to cultivate cannabis on a large scale, if not the best.
Colombia has a distinct advantage over many other countries when it comes to cannabis production, and that, in turn, makes it a top potential source for legal cannabis internationally. As the South American country tries to transition from an unregulated cannabis industry to a regulated one, a major issue that it needs to address is export regulations.
According to domestic reporting, medical cannabis exporters in Colombia are complaining about lower-than-expected export sales, and they are pointing at government bureaucracy as the reason why the sales are lackluster. Per Bloomberg Linea (translated from Spanish to English):
Sales of medical cannabis products have not met the expectations that companies had in light of issues ranging from delays in registration, permits, banking mechanisms and other regulatory issues, the National Association of Foreign Trade (Analdex) reported on Monday.
Exporters point out that “external sales of cannabis for medical use have been hampered and have been considerably affected.”
Entrepreneurs in the sector occasionally refer to delays in registration with the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima).
In addition, they warn about alleged delays in the processes of the National Narcotics Fund.
If Colombia’s medical cannabis industry is ever going to reach its full potential, the process for obtaining permission from the government to export raw cannabis and cannabis products needs to be overhauled and streamlined.
It is definitely worth noting that not all of Colombia’s export issues are due solely to what is going on within the nation’s borders. International treaties, policies, and enforcement practices also make cannabis exports more difficult in general for any nation, including Colombia. As such, reform is needed at the international level as well.