Brazil: ExpoCannabis brings together industry in São Paulo and celebrates authorization of hemp cultivation for medicinal use

Since the beginning of this week, hundreds of national and international companies have been preparing to open the doors of ExpoCannabis Brasil 2024, which starts today, November 15, and promises to be the largest cannabis event in Latin America, expecting around 40.000 visitors. On the eve of the opening, a historic decision came as the icing on the cake: the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) authorized the cultivation of hemp for medicinal and industrial purposes in Brazil. The decision applies exclusively to companies and does not mention domestic cultivation or for recreational use.

The STJ decision allows, for the first time, companies to obtain health authorization to import seeds and cultivate hemp varieties for medicinal and industrial purposes. The federal government and Anvisa, the Brazilian drug regulatory agency, now have a six-month deadline to define the regulations that will finally make the long-awaited  dreamed of hemp cultivation in Brazil. Until then, regulations only allowed the import of cannabidiol (CBD) by patients with a medical prescription.

The STJ decision focuses on the health authorization for the import and cultivation of cannabis varieties with residual THC values ​​and controlled concentrations of therapeutic substances, such as CBD. 

Despite the limitations, this decision represents a radical change for the country. Domestic production could reduce costs, increase access to treatments and boost the development of new technologies in the Brazilian cannabis sector. In addition, international investors can now see Brazil as an emerging market with the potential to become a force in the global market for medicinal and industrial cannabis, including the production of textiles and construction materials.

It is important to note, however, that the STJ decision applies exclusively to companies. The decision does not address planting for recreational use, and home cultivation for personal purposes was decriminalized by the Supreme Court in April 2024.

The STJ also established that the regulations must include strict measures to prevent the diversion and misuse of seeds and plants. Among the standards provided for are genetic traceability, restrictions on cultivation in specific areas or controlled environments, limitations on national production and strict requirements for companies wishing to operate in the sector, such as prior registration, tax and labor regularity.

ExpoCannabis Brasil 2024 promises to be one of the biggest cannabis events in the world

With over 300 exhibitors, ExpoCannabis Brasil was already anticipated as the largest cannabis event in Latin America. With this new court ruling authorizing the cultivation of hemp, the fair has everything it needs to position itself as a starting point for the future of the cannabis industry in Brazil and a milestone in the country's positioning as a leader in the Latin American scenario. 

The first edition, held in 2023, brought together around 20 thousand visitors and 150 exhibitors, impressing with its organization and interaction in a country where the legalization process is one of the most complex, due to the  popular and business mobilizations and the enormous resistance of decision-making bodies. 

This year, ExpoCannabis has 300 national and international exhibitors and expects to receive more than 40 visitors. Among the exhibitors are big names, such as the pioneering Greenhouse Seeds Co. from Amsterdam, which  puts Expocannabis Brasil on the map of global cannabis events.

Zero Carbon and Cultural Programming

For 2024, ExpoCannabis Brasil is innovating by adopting a sustainability policy, with a commitment to be a carbon-zero event. All emissions generated by the fair will be offset through environmentally friendly practices, such as food donations, recycling initiatives and efficient waste management. “ExpoCannabis is more than just a business event; it is a commitment to the future of cannabis and the planet,” says Larissa Uchida, CEO of ExpoCannabis Brasil.

The event will also feature an intense program. In addition to the lectures, which include international guests such as Mila Jansen, known as the “Queen of Hash”, the event will feature legal consultancy to guide entrepreneurs in the sector, an exclusive photography exhibition about the Rif Mountains in Morocco — a region famous for its cannabis culture — and an extensive cultural program with icons of the cannabis scene, in addition to after parties with national musicians and even the British artist and musician Horace Andy.

Market growth despite bans

To get an idea of ​​the importance of this year's event, throughout the month of November, numerous smaller events take place in São Paulo. networking and entrepreneurship, always related to cannabis. One of these smaller events was the launch of the 2024 Market Yearbook, published by Kaya Mind, a company that conducts market research specifically for the cannabis sector in Brazil. According to the yearbook, considering the restrictive regulations and Brazilian prohibitions, Brazil already has 1.092 cannabis companies to date, which corresponds to an increase of 34% compared to 2023. The tobacco accessories sector and the large number of headshops opening, a preferred business model before legalization, are noteworthy. According to the yearbook, the potential of the silk (or rolling paper, known in Portugal as 'mortalhas') was 50 million dollars.

With all this organization, ExpoCannabis Brasil 2024 stands out not only for its grandeur, but promises to be a historic edition, marking a new chapter in the history of cannabis in Brazil and throughout Latin America. It starts today and continues all weekend, until Sunday, November 17th.

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Larissa Barbosa

Contributor at South Africa & Brazil |  More postsBio

Larissa Barbosa holds a BA in Journalism and a MA in Gender and Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. She is a Brazilian journalist based in France. In her career, she has written mainly about human rights, development and social movements. A few years ago, she began studying and writing about the cannabis industry and also became deeply interested in the topic of psychedelics. Larissa believes that good communication and journalism are key to better understanding the science of cannabis and psychedelics, in order to change public opinion and reduce stigma.

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