The governor of Puerto Rico signed an executive order Sunday authorizing the use of medical marijuana there. The order, which went into immediate effect, legalizes the use of the cannabis plant and some or all of its derivatives for medical purposes.
In a statement, Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said, “We’re taking a significant step in the area of health that is fundamental to our development and quality of life. I am sure that many patients will receive appropriate treatment that will offer them new hope.”
Puerto Rico’s health secretary will have three months to write a report regarding how the order will be implemented, what impact it will have as well as what steps should be taken in the future.
The president of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, Jaime Perello, expressed support for the executive order: “It’s a step in the right direction. One of the benefits that patients say they receive the most is pain relief.”
Jenniffer Gonzalez, a legislator who is opposed to the order, claimed that it leaves controlled substance law in a “judicial limbo.”
Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/04/puerto-rico-medical-marijuana_n_7203916.html
Photo Credit: Jami Dwyer