Central America: Market and legal data for the cannabis sector

18th July 2024: Costa Rica: President Rodrigo Chaves told press he will not make further moves on the bill to legalise recreational cannabis and that the bill is practically archived. Speaking about the National Assembly archiving the bill, he said: “They have already issued their opinion – they filed it away – am I going to continue being a fool? They have already given their opinion before the people of Costa Rica – let them live with it.”
9th May 2024: Panama: The Ministry of Health has rejected two appeals against the decision to grant licences for the production of medical cannabis. The Evaluation Commission then ratified the selection of seven companies that will be allowed to produce cannabis for medical purposes for a period of ten years. The selected companies received the highest scores and met the established criteria. No more administrative appeals can be lodged.
2nd April 2024: Costa Rica: Government deputy Manuel Morales will ask the minister of the presidency, Natalia Díaz, to call for the discussion of the bill legalising the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis in the next extraordinary session, which will happen in May, press reports. In August 2023, the Environmental Commission voted against the bill, leaving it pending discussion in the plenary. Allegedly, the bill has now been rewritten, and includes suggestions from opposition parties.
1st February 2024: Panama: After granting seven licences for the production of medical cannabis, the Ministry of Health has suspended the granting process by accepting the appeals of three companies that did not comply with the requirements. No time limit has been set for the processing of appeals.
17th January 2024: Panama: Following the introduction of a legal framework for medical and therapeutic cannabis in 2022, the Ministry of Health has published a final report recommending the granting of seven medical cannabis production licences to companies that met the requirements and criteria set out in the law. The results will be approved and published by a Ministry of Health resolution.
5th September 2023: Costa Rica: The Ministry of Health has issued a warning against the sale and promotion of hemp flowers and other CBD products without public health registration. The authority added that individuals or companies marketing products without public health registration will be subject to administrative and criminal sanctions.
23rd August 2023: Costa Rica: A majority of deputies from the opposition National Liberation (PLN) and New Republic (PNR) parties of the Parliamentary Legislative Commission for the Environment accepted a report recommending the rejection of the government's bill to legalise recreational cannabis, press reports. The final vote is scheduled for next week.
24th July 2023: Panama: The Ministry of Health has clarified that it is currently in a selection process to grant a licence for the manufacture of medical cannabis derivatives, and therefore cannabis derivatives are not currently authorised for distribution and sale.
7th July 2023: Costa Rica: The Ministry of Health has issued the first authorisation for the manufacture of hemp-derived products, which include food and cosmetics. The authorisation is valid for a period of six years. The law on hemp for food and industrial use entered into force in March 2022.
6th June 2023: Panama: The country has this week called for expressions of interest from companies wishing to obtain a licence to manufacture medicinal cannabis derivatives,the Ministry of Health’s national director for pharmacy and drugs, Elvia Lau, told the press.
4th May 2023: Costa Rica: President Rodrigo Chaves has chosen the bill to legalise sale and consumption of recreational cannabis to be heard in extraordinary sessions of the Legislative Assembly. The bill is one of 48 to be debated by the legislature in the next three months.
7th February 2023: Costa Rica: Following the Executive Branch’s controversial decision to present a bill to legalise the sale of recreational cannabis, the Ministry of Health has proposed that it should be sold in grocery stores and supermarkets, to combat the illegal market, press reports. The bill’s original text proposed sales only in cafes, clubs and dispensaries.

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