Colombia’s new, legal drug barons focus on medical marijuana

Businesses in Colombia like PharmaCielo believe they can establish a foothold in the drug industry
The New York Times (US)
Thursday, August 4, 2016

colombia-pharmacieloLast year, President Juan Manuel Santos spearheaded an overhaul of Colombia’s 30-year-old drug laws, which formally legalized medical marijuana for domestic use. Crucially, the new law also allowed the commercial cultivation, processing and export of medical marijuana products — like oils and creams — although not the flower, the part of the plant normally rolled into a joint. Officials hope the move will put a dent in Colombia’s drug trafficking business by creating a legal opportunity in an industry historically controlled by the black market.