After many years of discussions and waiting, medical cannabis is finally available for people with conditions such as cancer, fibromyalgia, and epilepsy to treat their illnesses. However, access to these products in Costa Rica will be stricter than some business owners and customers expected, as a prescription is required. Furthermore, their sale is limited exclusively to pharmacies, as established by the regulations that have just come into effect.
“Medical cannabis is not a plant that is freely sold. It is a medicine that must be handled with the same standards as any other prescription-only treatment,” emphasized Dr. Andrés Guzmán Tacsan, representative of the Costa Rican College of Pharmacists (ColFar).
The pharmaceutical industry insists that this regulation seeks to protect patients, ensuring that therapeutic cannabis is dispensed by specifically trained professionals and under pharmaceutical supervision.
“The possibility of sales in dispensaries should not be open. These products cannot be sold over the counter, as they pose risks such as drug interactions, adverse effects, or misuse,” Guzmán emphasized.
Greater openness is needed
However, this decision has sparked strong criticism from the private sector, which accuses the government of favoring a restrictive model that limits competition. For Roy Thompson, CEO of MasVerde, the regulation promotes an “oligopoly” by granting exclusivity to pharmacies. “The current design does not promote the industry. As the law stands, it grants an oligopoly to pharmacies. We’ll see if they really make the investment and if they manage to reach the number of people they expect,” questioned Thompson, who is even considering taking the issue to the Constitutional Court to reverse the restriction.
Although medicinal cannabis-based products are already available for sale, large pharmaceutical groups such as Dökka—operators of La Bomba and Fischel pharmacies—do not plan to include these products in their catalog in the short term. “We are currently analyzing regulatory progress from a healthcare, logistical, and commercial perspective,” said Eduardo Jiliberto, CEO of the Dökka Group.
High expectations
Due to its therapeutic properties for various diseases and health conditions, medicinal cannabis has gained a good reputation worldwide.
These are some of the diseases and products that are treated with this plant: Treatment of chronic pain, especially in conditions such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and neuropathic pain, improves sleep quality, provides alternative treatment for conditions such as refractory epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease, serves to treat symptoms associated with cancer and chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite, the use of cannabis has been explored in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression.
Products:
Cannabis oils and tinctures
Capsules and tablets
Topical creams and ointments
Inhalable products (vaporizers and dried flowers)
Edibles and infused beverages.
