31/10/2024

Veterinary medicine and cannabis: Brazil towards a new global market for pets.

Por Carolina Jácomo*

There is much talk about cannabis-based treatments to promote healing and quality of life for our beloved pets, but until yesterday, this was considered a form of civil disobedience. Today, however, Anvisa updated Ordinance 344, marking a significant advance for the veterinary sector and regulating the prescription of products based on the plant.

In order for these products to be prescribed, they must be duly registered with the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine and authorized for transportation and use in Brazil. Previously, cannabis was classified as a prohibited substance; now, it is included in the list of controlled substances, under the prescription notification of Addendum 9 of List A3.

This change came about after years of coordinated efforts by working groups of veterinarians in Regional Councils and by the Federal Council itself, which, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), actively participated in discussions with Anvisa. Researcher Erik Amazonas, from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and member of the scientific committee of the Brazilian Congress of Medicinal Cannabis, defines the measure as a “watershed”, which removes the veterinary sector from a risky legal context and expands opportunities for research and clinical treatments.

Historically, animals have been used as guinea pigs in testing products approved for human use. This measure is more than fair; it is a historical and social reparation, guaranteeing animals the right to effective and natural treatments. In addition to directly benefiting animals, Amazonas believes that the regulation will position Brazil as one of the largest global markets for cannabis-based veterinary products, with the potential to lead, as of 2025, also in the production of cannabis for veterinary and human use.

Ordinance 344/98 of Brazil’s Ministry of Health, which regulates drugs under special control, historically covers substances such as narcotics and anabolic steroids. With this update, veterinarians expand their care tools. For the category, this achievement represents the result of years of resistance, mobilization and study, and points to a promising future in veterinary medicine and the Brazilian cannabis market.

* Carolina Jácomo is an Anthropologist and Scientific Researcher in the Cannabis field.

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