Mexican Marihuana, a business that can earn dollars: ANICANN

1084

With the recreational, medicinal and industrial use of marijuana, a new formal economy can be built in Mexico, according to the National Association of the Cannabis Industry (ANICANN).

Olga Sanchez Cordero, next secretary of the Interior of Mexico, was in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana and poppy, as an additional measure to combat the violence linked to drug trafficking that has left tens of thousands of deaths in the country.

That promise of Sánchez Cordero would generate a new formal economy in Mexico with the recreational, medicinal and industrial use of marijuana, according to the National Association of the Cannabis Industry (ANICANN).

“We see that the business is in producing in pesos and earning in dollars. Cordero’s statements give us hope that in the future our plan can be approved and there may be a free market for cannabis, “commented Guillermo Nieto, president of ANICANN.

Nieto gives as an example of that formal marijuana economy to Canada, where the market will have a value of 22,000 million dollars and will generate 150,000 jobs a year.

“To put it in perspective, avocado, which is one of our great export products, exports an average of 2,000 per year. We must also take into account that Canada can not plant all year round because of its climate and Mexico does, which makes the costs a lot cheaper, “said Nieto.

The president of the ANICANN says he is ready to put on the table of former Minister Sánchez Cordero, as soon as he reaches the Secretary of the Interior, a decriminalization scheme of free markets, such as that applied in various states of the American Union, as California and Colorado, and that has these key points:

  • Allow self-consumption of up to five plants per person and per association of 100 people (care taker).
  • Grant commercial production licenses that would go from 1,500 to 50,000 plants.
  • Grant licenses for wholesale (sale to dispensaries or the manufacturing industry) and retail (stores where any Mexican individual over 18 years old can buy up to an ounce a day, and in the case of foreigners, up to 1/4 of an ounce per day).
  • Grant manufacturing licenses for the production of concentrated and/or processed products with added value, and for certification laboratories.

The ANICANN expects that the medical and recreational marijuana market if its use is approved, would generate a spill of 1,500 million dollars and a tax collection of 30% would be expected.

 

There is still a long way to go

According to ANICANN, in recent years the cannabis movement has had significant achievements in decriminalizing the plant, such as the legalization of medicinal and scientific use by the Union Congress last year, and the granting of four protection of individuals by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), so that they can sow, cultivate, harvest, prepare, possess, transport and consume cannabis personally.

Despite all the advances in the matter, there is still a long way to go to fully decriminalize the production, transformation, distribution, and marketing of cannabis in a free market scheme.

The main challenge that the president of ANICANN sees to achieve a formal economy with cannabis is the conservative thinking that still permeates many sectors of society.

“They have not realized the use that can be given to this plant. Decriminalization could trigger an important value chain – based on science and technology – that will result in the generation of well-paid jobs, tax revenues for the government and greater development opportunities for communities of high marginalization, “commented Guillermo Grandchild.

Another worrying factor for ANICAAN is that the wrong rules or overregulation are made, which would lead to the death of the industry.

For example, on the first of January of this year, the recreational use of marijuana entered into force in California, making the state the largest regulated market in the world after having also been the first to approve the medicinal use of marijuana. Marijuana, in 1996.

“The recreational use of marijuana was widespread in California, practically changing little with the new provision. The new regulation is aimed at encouraging the big industry. This affects competition in the market since it can prevent small producers from participating, “said Leopoldo Rivera, president of the Mexican Association of Cannabis Studies.

Source: Gerardo Villafranco Forbes Mexico