Medical cannabis experts to discuss draft regulation for sector
Goodwin Aldarondo
A group of experts from Puerto Rico’s medical cannabis industry will host a forum to discuss the draft of the new Medicinal Cannabis Regulations recently published by the island’s Health Department.
The concerns arising during the forum will be raised to the government agency, said Goodwin Aldarondo, president of Puerto Rico Legal Marijuana, which will host the gathering.
“We officially have a draft of the new medicinal cannabis regulation. With its publication, we can proceed to formally evaluate it with industry insiders and hear the concerns expressed by various groups and patients regarding some of its provisions,” he said, explaining that the mentioned forum is open to the general public free of charge.
The event will take place at the Polytechnic University in Hato Rey, May 19, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The event will start with a panel of cannabis industry experts, including: Michael Soler, the first doctor to recommend and prescribe medicinal cannabis in Puerto Rico; Ito Fullana, owner of Caribbean Green; Mario Fornes, an attorney and owner of cannabis clinics; Alexandra Rodríguez, cannabis attorney and precursor of Regulation 155; and an inspector from the medicinal cannabis office, among other panelists.
The second hour of the forum will feature an open microphone session so that the audience can offer comments, questions and/or concerns, which will recorded and escalated to the Health Department as the entity that will ultimately accept or deny recommendations to the new proposed regulation, Aldarondo said.
“We’re at a crucial stage because the Health Department has scheduled public hearings on the draft of the new regulation on May 21-22. As a leading industry organization, we want to deliver all comments that are collected during the forum,” he said.
“Will serve as a tool because there are still gaps and provisions that can be improved for everyone’s benefit,” said Aldarondo, adding he has been cited to depose on May 21.
One of the biggest concerns the draft raises are the proposed changes affect doctors and patients with requirements that change the recommendation for medical cannabis into a prescription, which can have serious implications at the federal level, he said.
