Panama has become the first Central American country to legalize medical cannabis.
The nation’s 44-member national assembly unanimously approved legislation Aug. 30 to legalize and regulate the medical use of the drug, according to a Reuters report.
The bill, which Assembly President Crispiano Adames lauded as “innovative,” would allow registered patients with certain medical conditions to access cannabis for treatment, the news outlet reported. It also paves the ways for additional cannabis research in the country.
With the assembly’s approval, the legislation now awaits President Laurentino Cortizo’s signature.