Colombia is one of the few Latin American countries with favorable cannabis laws. With medical cannabis completely legal in the country and recreational cannabis permitted—although regulated—the country’s legal framework is quite lenient with cannabis consumption.
Having said that, it is important to note that cannabis in Colombia isn’t completely legal yet, especially cannabis of the recreational type. This means there are some limitations to how cannabis-related businesses can operate in the region, and cannabis dispensaries are no exception.
What are Cannabis Dispensaries?
Cannabis dispensaries are basically legally approved cannabis retail stores. There are stores with permits from the necessary government bodies to sell cannabis and cannabis-related products. These stores are often regulated by state or national laws and sell cannabis—and cannabis-related products—legally sourced from government-approved suppliers.
Are There Cannabis Dispensaries in Colombia?
Technically, yes; there are cannabis dispensaries in Colombia. However, things are a little complicated thanks to the country’s unique cannabis laws and regulatory framework.
In Colombia, cannabis is not completely legal. This is due to the country’s legal distinction between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis. While medical cannabis in Colombia is completely legal (i.e. it can be legally cultivated, distributed, sold, and consumed), recreational cannabis is only partially legal in the country. For recreational purposes, cannabis in Colombia is only legal in limited quantities for self-use and self-cultivation, and completely illegal for commercialization i.e. selling of recreational cannabis is illegal in the country.
For more information about this, check out our article on Recreational VS Medical Cannabis in Colombia – What’s the difference?
The illegality of commercial recreational cannabis in Colombia has led to a local cannabis market where only medical cannabis dispensaries exist. So a more accurate answer to the question would be:
Yes, there are cannabis dispensaries in Colombia, but only for medical cannabis. There are no legal recreational cannabis dispensaries in the country.
What’s the Difference Between Medical and Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries?
While there are some significant differences between medical and recreational cannabis, the difference between the two dispensaries simply boils down to what type of cannabis and cannabis-related products they are licensed to sell.
Basically, a medical cannabis dispensary will be licensed to sell medical cannabis. This would typically come in the form of cannabis-related products, not raw cannabis plants or dried cannabis. These products usually come in different forms, such as oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, topicals, and vape cartridges, tailored to meet different medical needs and preferences. These products would typically have the concentrations of their extracts (e.g. THC and CBD) altered to best suit the specific medical condition they have been designed to treat, ensuring precise dosing and therapeutic efficiency.
Note: In Colombia, medical cannabis dispensaries require that customers have a prescription before they can purchase medical cannabis. This is required by law.
Recreational cannabis dispensaries, on the other hand, are licensed to sell cannabis for recreational purposes. These would include both raw cannabis and cannabis-related products, often ones with high THC concentrations. These types of dispensaries are illegal in Colombia.
How Do You Get Recreational Cannabis in Colombia Without Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries?
So how do you get recreational cannabis in Colombia if only medical cannabis dispensaries exist? Well, the existing cannabis regulatory framework in the country makes provisions for that.
While the commercialization of recreational cannabis is prohibited within the country, the self-cultivation of cannabis for recreational use is legal in the country. This means individuals interested in indulging in cannabis for recreational purposes are allowed to grow their own supplies (limited to a maximum of 20 plants per time).
Also, although selling recreational cannabis is prohibited, sharing recreational cannabis freely isn’t. And since the possession of recreational cannabis in small doses (no more than 20g) is also permitted under the law, you can also get recreational cannabis from friends or family members willing to share their personal supply.
Conclusion
Cannabis dispensaries exist in Colombia, but only for medical cannabis. Since the commercialization of recreational cannabis is prohibited in the country, there are no legal dispensaries for recreational cannabis. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t get recreational cannabis in Colombia, since the law does allow self-cultivation (no more than 20 plants) and the sharing (in small quantities no more than 20g).
Looking for a medical cannabis dispensary in Colombia? Contact resident medical cannabis specialist Dr. Rocio Vargas, today!
