Back in October, Costa Rica’s Congress legalized cannabis for medicinal purposes across the Caribbean Sea- and Pacific Ocean-bordered country. 

The measure passed in spite of opposition from conservative groups. However, cannabis opponent President Carlos Alvarado officially rescinded the law on Thursday, January 27.

Costa Rica’s medical cannabis initiative intended to permit and regulate use and access specifically for medicinal and therapeutic use; including psychoactive elements of the plant. Furthermore, it sought to legalize hemp production, commercialization and industrialization. 

Under the terms of Costa Rica’s vetoed medical cannabis bill – which was signed off by the Constitutional Court in November and published Friday, Jan. 7 – oversight of the hemp and medical cannabis sectors would have been carried out by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG).

Costa Rica’s cannabis bill was vetoed on health and security grounds

Alvarado expressed his reservations for passing Costa Rica’s medicinals cannabis measure with a Twitter update. In a recent post that was uploaded on his social media page, he reiterated his support for medical cannabis legalization, so long as individual cultivation and consumption is curbed.

“I trust that they will be accepted and the law will be in force soon,” said Alvarado. 

The president  – whose term concludes in May – clarified his intentions to approve Costa Rica’s medical cannabis bill if certain revisions are made. For instance, he says that issues pertaining to self-cultivation and self-consumption, along with other “technical criteria”, should be dealt with first and foremost.

“I want to say categorically that I support medical cannabis. This is to alleviate people with various diseases and I even have close and very dear people who need it. And I also support industrial hemp, because it will help agricultural production and economic revival,”  he said in his prepared statement. “Let’s make this very clear: I agree with all these objectives and I want to be able to sign this law.”

Costa Rica’s cannabis bill will face another vote by prohibitionist congressional members

President Alvarado’s decision to veto Costa Rica’s cannabis bill might have left supporters and consumers alike feeling bitterly disappointed. However, hope prevails, with the proposal expected to be voted on again in Congress.

Congresswoman Zoila Volio Pacheco believes that the law stands to greatly influence economic development in rural locations, not to mention transform the Central American country’s agro-industry. What’s more, congresswoman Yorleny León Marchena believes that it will attract significant health and economic benefits. 

The legislative body is mainly composed of anti-cannabis senators and representatives. Congresswoman Carolina Hidalgo Herrera was among those who disputed the bill because of the potentially negative repercussions she believes it could have on society as a whole, e.g. drug abuse, violence and an increased likelihood of cannabis being legalized for recreational purposes.