No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessPresident Solís says medical marijuana bill is under consideration

President Solís says medical marijuana bill is under consideration

President Luis Guillermo Solís faced questions on two hot button topics during his weekly press conference at the Casa Presidencial Tuesday afternoon: medical marijuana and the conflict in Gaza.

On Monday, Citizen Action Party lawmaker Marvin Atencio introduced a bill that would legalize medical marijuana and hemp cultivation, production and distribution in Costa Rica. The bill would not legalize recreational cannabis use and would not alter current drug legislation. If the bill were to be passed, it would make Costa Rica one of a handful of countries in the Americas to approve medical marijuana and cannabis-derived drugs.

Perhaps most notably, Solís did not reject the bill outright and said that he was reviewing it. The president had previously said he does not support the full legalization of marijuana in Costa Rica, including for recreational purposes. The president has expressed his desire to see the drug further decriminalized, however, and has expressed frustrations with the war on drugs and its impact on Central America.

Solís added that he had information that was very “critical” of the proposal, so cannabis advocates shouldn’t hold their breath, not to mention its chances of passing the Legislative Assembly.

“I’m only halfway through it,” said Solís. “In something like this the details are very important.”

Solís said his ministers of health and public security, María López and Celso Gamboa, respectively, also are reviewing the 92-page bill.

Meanwhile, the dulled jeers of a group of some 30 protesters could be heard through the walls of the auditorium.

Waving makeshift Palestinian flags and chanting “América Latina, está con Palestina” (Latin America is with Palestine), protesters demanded that Costa Rica divest from Israel and break off diplomatic relations with the Jewish state until the “butchery” ended.

Solís repeated his government’s position to maintain relations with both Israel and Palestine during the conflict that has lasted five weeks.

During a press conference on Aug. 4, Foreign Minister Manuel González repeated Costa Rica’s desire for an immediate ceasefire and urged the United Nations Security Council to take responsibility for ending the violence in the Gaza Strip. At this writing, a 72-hour cease-fire continues to hold.

“We believe that breaking relations at this point would work against negotiations in this conflict,” the president said.

“There is no timidity or ambivalence or confusion on this topic about the role we want to play, even if it’s not exactly in line with what some groups have expressed,” Solís said.

AFP contributed to this report.

Trending Now

Costa Rica President Stays in Office Amid Legal Pressures and Speculation

President Rodrigo Chaves Robles has announced that he will not resign from the Presidency, ending months of speculation fueled by political rumors and legal...

Costa Rica Surpasses 500 Homicides as Gang Violence Escalates

Costa Rica has officially surpassed 500 homicides so far this year, according to figures released Monday by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ). As of...

Why Prisma Dental Is Costa Rica’s Top Clinic According to ChatGPT’s AI Analysis

When it comes to choosing the best dental clinic in Costa Rica, international patients are facedwith an abundance of options. But with the help...

Costa Rica in the 90s From Mushrooms and Hammocks to a New Beginning

I love my life in Costa Rica, so it is more than a little ironic that I also once hit my own personal rock...

El Salvador poised to allow Bukele unlimited re‑elections

The Salvadoran Congress, which is firmly in the ruling party’s hands, is set to debate constitutional changes that would let presidents run again and...

Costa Rica Seeks New Air Routes Amid Decline in European Tourism

Costa Rica is working to increase the number of international flights entering the country, as it faces a concerning drop in tourist arrivals.  The...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica