CBD in Latin America: What You Should Know

By 20 June, 2022

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a chemical compound extracted from the cannabis sativa plant. It has been demonstrated that utilizing CBD oil in different forms drastically improves health conditions: it soothes anxiety, eases diabetic complications, and reduces PTSD symptoms.

As a result, some industries manufacture legal products containing CBD. Of course, this is not the case for every country or region, and in the case of Latin America, there are mixed views. Here we’ll share everything you need to know regarding CBD in Latin America. 

Countries Where CBD Is Legal

Not every Latin American country has a law that allows CBD production and commercialization. Even in countries where CBD products are legal, the law differs in terms of regulations. For example, in some countries, CBD is only sold for medical purposes and solely in pharmacies. In other words, it’s prescription-only, sometimes even given for free. In other countries, certain businesses can get a license to sell as well. 

The countries where CBD is legal for medical purposes are Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, and Mexico. In Colombia, it is legal both for medical and scientific purposes, and you can also buy over-the-counter as a food supplement. On the other hand, Ecuador has a legal cannabis program for medical purposes, although still quite limited. For the remaining countries, it is strictly illegal. 

How to Buy CBD Products 

In Uruguay, since both medicinal and recreational use is completely legal, one can purchase CBD products in pharmacies. 

Regarding buying in regular stores, the same laws don’t apply to every country, so it is rather difficult to obtain quality products that way. All in all, it is more common to buy CBD online in Latin America because of the various advantages that it presents. First of all, in most cases, the CBD oil sold in stores lacks quality. To be more specific, most products have synthetic additives that highly reduce their attributes. 

The real problem, however, is that it is almost impossible to learn about the product you are buying. On the other hand, websites that sell CBD oil and derivatives contain all the information about the products they develop. Plus, you may find customer reviews on their websites to verify whether the product is reliable or not. 

 All these details make CBD in Latin America an online-oriented market. 

Will the CBD Market Grow in Latin America?

Although there are no definitive answers to this question, the future seems promising. Ever since Uruguay became the first country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis use, other Latin American countries reconsidered the many benefits CBD could offer. From that point, and thanks to the increasing CBD industry all around the world, medicinal use has been legalized in the majority of South America. 

Time will tell whether the other countries (including most of Central America) will change their policies or not. 

Most users claim CBD products are life-changing. However, it is always recommended that you do thorough research before buying anything. If, for example, the product is tested by a third party, then that’s a sign of legitimacy. 

Also, if you buy online, make sure the website provides information about their products. Whether you live in South America, North America, or Europe, you must always regard quality and safety above everything else. 


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