Events
The heated discussion about the decriminalization of cannabis with political parties was the unique moment of PTMC25
At the end of the day of conferences at Portugal Medical Cannabis 2025 (PTMC25), a heated debate took place, which was the highlight of the event. sui generis of the entire event. Because this year marks two important dates, the round table discussion was themed “100 Years of Prohibition, 25 Years of Decriminalization in Portugal: Future Paths,” and it was something that those who attended will hardly forget. Find out why in this report about this special session.
The atmosphere was lively in the beautiful Víctor Santos hall. Alentejo house, following the intense day of conferences at PTMC25, which had just concluded Just a few meters away, at the Lisbon Geographical Society. However, this last debate of the day, as well as dinner, was scheduled for that grand hall, in the Louis XVI style, with gilded stucco and panels painted by Benvindo Ceia. Historically, let's talk about the Casa do Alentejo, or the former Alverca Palace, a 17th-century building that, between 1910 and 1928, functioned as a casino and recreational club—first known as the Majestic Club and later as the Monumental Club. With its gaming rooms, dance halls, and shows, those casino-clubs were frequented by Lisbon's high society of the time, attracted by the luxurious and exotic atmosphere of the neo-Moorish style decoration of the Moorish courtyard. In 1932, the building became the headquarters of the Casa do Alentejo Regionalist Association, which preserved it and gave it its current identity as a center for the promotion of Alentejo culture and a cultural space.
Among the Portuguese public and businesspeople who visited or work in our country, the expectation to hear what the governing parties had to say about the cannabis situation in Portugal was frankly high. The CannaGin served during the cocktail party – courtesy of the brand – helped create the right atmosphere for the discussion that was about to begin.
On the panel were, on one side, the Professor Carl L. Hart, psychologist, neuroscientist and professor of Psychology at Columbia University in New York, USA; and the Uruguayan analyst, Alfredo Pascual, based in Germany. And representing the Portuguese Parliament, the nurse and member of parliament for the Chega party, Cláudia Estêvão; Barbara do Amaral Correia, deputy of the PSD (Social Democratic Party) and Jorge Miguel Teixeira, deputy of the Liberal Initiative (IL).
As explained Laura Ramos, journalist and editor of CannaReporter and moderator of the debate, all Portuguese police forces were invited to the debate: the GNR - National Republican Guard, the PSP - Public Security Police, and the PJ - The Judiciary Police, all of whom declined the invitation. All parties with parliamentary seats were also invited, but only three were represented. Some parties stated they did not have "scheduling capacity" for any of their deputies, others never responded to the invitation despite repeated requests, so only the PSD, IL, and Chega attended. Curiously, all of these are right-wing parties, as pointed out by IL deputy Jorge Miguel Teixeira. The left, therefore, was not represented.
João Goulão, president of the Directorate-General for Intervention in Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (ICAD) and the main figure in the decriminalization movement in Portugal over the last 25 years, was also announced, but he canceled his participation on the day of the event due to family health reasons.
A missed opportunity
For being part of one of the parties that presented the last bill to legalize recreational cannabis in Portugal in 2023Jorge Miguel Teixeira, of the IL, was invited to open the discussion. The representative briefly contextualized the Portuguese situation, explaining the inaction of recent years: "We had a left-wing majority for eight years in Portugal, and anyone would think that with that majority it would be possible to pass these laws, but it didn't happen for eight years, and to be quite frank with you, I don't think we now have a political or social majority to make this kind of progress." In 2021, simultaneously with the IL, the Left Bloc had also presented a bill to legalize the adult use of cannabis, but they all ended up being postponed and finally, forgotten with the successive falls of the government.
"Throughout this time, IL's position has not changed," Teixeira assured. "But I think we must be careful how we approach these issues, because the kind of resistance it can receive, if approached the wrong way, could even make things worse."
Given the current socio-political context, for this representative, the important thing now is to "focus on the policies we have in place: we have legal medicinal cannabis—everyone is telling me it's not going well, that our internal market isn't good, some are already encountering resistance due to the way things work in Portugal... it's something we can improve," he stated. But it's not just medicinal cannabis that has problems; the National Health System itself and the projects supporting it Addictions have suffered major cuts, and consequently, as the congressman says, "things have been getting worse in recent years. [Problems with] many substances have returned. We have more people developing addiction problems and having no way out, even if they want to. Therefore, I think that right now we should focus on improving what we have, and then we can move on to the general debate on drugs that is necessary."
"Chega is in favor of medicinal cannabis, but against recreational cannabis," said MP Cláudia Estêvão.
The young PSD deputy, Bárbara do Amaral Correia, said she was only elected two months ago, but emphasized the importance of participating in these events to learn and begin to form her own opinion on these issues. The deputy reviewed Portugal's drug laws and recalled that, when medicinal cannabis was approved in 2018, her party also presented a proposal. "I think that in my party, we have people who agree with the use of cannabis and others who disagree, so I think that in order to reach a consensus, it would be very important for us to receive more medical information and scientific data, to understand the true effects [of cannabis]." About two years ago, during a debate about cannabis and young people in which the GAT – Treatment Activists Group brought together all the parliamentary groups in the Assembly of the Republic, the PSD stated that it gave its deputies freedom to vote on this issue.
As a lawyer, Bárbara do Amaral Correia noted that her clients often "have problems with city councils because they aren't open to these types of projects and won't authorize their land to be used for this purpose. There's still a long way to go with local authorities," argued the PSD representative, who offered to help with this matter.
Chega changes its position and now accepts medicinal cannabis
The anticipation in the room, especially among the Portuguese participants, was largely to hear what Chega MP Cláudia Estêvão would have to say. The latest news we had from this party positioned it as "totally against the legalization of cannabis." That's what we published on CannaReporter About two years ago, due to the debate mentioned above, and not knowing of any further statements from Chega on this subject, that's where we were. However, this time, upon arriving at the event, Cláudia Estêvão made a point of clarifying that "Chega is in favor of medicinal cannabis, but against recreational cannabis." A difference that surprised us quite a bit and made us anticipate the best.
Given that some of the invited speakers were from abroad, the debate was announced in English. Not fluent in the language, Estêvão was accompanied by a party aide who would serve as a translator. After thanking the audience, he began by explaining his party's current position to the room: "We allow the use of cannabis under medical prescription, but as for extending it to recreational use, we firmly oppose it," he stated.
Recalling that Portugal “was a pioneer in 2000 when it decriminalized the use of all drugs,” the Chega deputy also stated: “we agree with what is determined, that is, removing use from the criminal sphere, but,” she continued, “however, in 2023 a law was introduced that removed an item that we consider absolutely vital: a precise criterion that allows, above all, police and judicial authorities, to determine what constitutes use and what may mean trafficking, and this is worrying.” Cláudia Estêvão refers to high school diploma approved in July of that year, which introduced a significant change to the call Drug LawPossession of more than the permitted quantity for personal consumption over 10 days is no longer automatically considered proof of trafficking; it is now up to the authorities to present the necessary evidence confirming that the individual is committing a crime. This change has prevented many wrongful convictions, since, in the absence of dedicated stores, it is very common for consumers to... to buy larger quantities for personal consumption when they have the opportunity to do so.This does not necessarily mean that they are drug traffickers.
But without this objective criterion, said the deputy, “we understand that prevention can be weakened, as well as the authority of the State, and we understand that these false criteria that have been created can be an open door for trafficking networks to use these false criteria to introduce and give space to crime, and at this moment, in Portugal, any person, regardless of the amount with which they are detained by the police authorities, can claim "Personal consumption, because the criterion that was very precise until 2023 – 10 days to meet your needs – no longer exists."
The concern, according to Cláudia Estêvão, is that this legal relaxation could send young people the message that cannabis use is commonplace, which could then be harmful to their health. "From our perspective, it's not something you can consume completely carefree," she stated.
- Deputy Jorge Miguel Teixeira, Liberal Initiative
- Alfredo Pascual and deputy Bárbara Correia, from the PSD
- Professor Carl L. Hart, Columbia University, USA
- Deputy Cláudia Estêvão and translator, Chega
- CannaReporter Moderator and Editor Laura Ramos
The learning curve
Today, cannabis is a truly complex subject. The plant itself is an infinite chemical universe that fascinates scientists, researchers, pharmacists, and some doctors. There's the agro-industrial side, that of hemp, a raw material that, as they say, allows the manufacture of around 25 products, replacing plastic, and has its own science and crafts. Then there's the world of seeds and... breeders, which create achenes and new plants by crossing phenotypes, genetically editing them, or replicating clones or cell tissue, thus contributing to continuous and seemingly endless evolution.
All the processes involved in cannabis cultivation also require highly specialized knowledge. This is the activity of the growers e master growers, engineers, biologists, agronomists and many other technicians who work on medicinal (and recreational, in countries where it is legal) cannabis production plants.
And then there's the world of equipment and facilities for medicinal cannabis, or production and processing – how to build, where, what will need to be covered, created and complied with, to obtain licensing from the authorities. Then you still need to treat the flower, or make extractions, have approved testing laboratories… And all this preferably while complying with the…tandard EU-GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and all others standards of quality and safety. This is the domain of consultants, lawyers, advisors, teams of Compliance, equipment companies, specialized software developers and analysts, among many other professionals who work in various areas of production, logistics, sales, etc.
“In terms of recreational use, nobody talks about civil liberties, about autonomy over our bodies, about our right to get high. Many of you are here drinking alcohol, exercising your right to drink, why can't you exercise it with cannabis? – It's crazy!”, Carl Hart.
In short, the "cannabis industry" is currently a medical specialty, a new pharmaceutical field, and a sector involving producers, entrepreneurs, and professionals who are very familiar with the plant, its processes, regulations, markets, and all the intricacies of the business. We are talking about many fields of knowledge and specialization, many people, many specialists, and—let's not forget—millions of patients, adults and children, who are treated with cannabis and have had to learn along the way. And of course, we must also mention the billions, trillions, and thousands of dollars and euros that move globally thanks to this expanding industry.
Therefore, when some politicians or other professionals unfamiliar with all of this come up with outdated data and categorical statements about "the dangers of cannabis," the frustration is palpable among those who live a different reality daily, in which the benefits associated with the plant far outweigh its risks (ridiculously few when compared to other accepted substances or treatments). We can include in this group all professionals in the sector, as well as the families of sick children for whom cannabis has proven to be a salvation, and all those who use it because it truly benefits them. Thus, the feeling is that we are always stumbling over the same stone… with all that cannabis science has already evolved, with all that is already known and done around the world with this promising plant, ignorance and prejudice continue to prevail.
Even today, those who decide whether or not patients and consumers can have access to cannabis are people who, in reality, know nothing or almost nothing about the plant and all that it represents. Even when they rely on "science" to defend their arguments, they largely ignore what science already says and which, moreover, is accessible to everyone thanks to the enormous public library that is the Internet.
But despite everything, there is no better weapon than communication, nor a better tool than debate. And that is what was proven at Portugal Medical Cannabis 2025.
“If medicinal cannabis is already legal in Portugal, the next step is to legalize recreational use”
Carl Hart is an eminent authority on drug use and the human mind. As he himself stated, "I've been studying substances for about 30 years, giving cannabis to participants in studies to assess their..." performance"...their brains, their behavior – both for medical and recreational purposes." After all these years, this researcher, author of several books on drugs and professor of Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University in New York, summarizes the situation: "It's very clear that cannabis has medicinal properties; in many US states it's legalized and the scientific community agrees. Right now, however, it's a political issue at the federal level – and politics doesn't care about facts." "But," he added, "I only deal with facts, not politics, and it seems quite clear to me: in terms of recreation, nobody talks about civil liberties, about autonomy over our bodies, about our right to get high," he said, explaining: "many of you are here drinking alcohol, exercising your right to drink, why can't you exercise it with cannabis? – It's crazy!"
The issue of individual freedom is a recurring one when discussing drug legalization, but when it comes to patients who need cannabis for treatment or simply to live a normal life, the need to be able to decide and to have access to safe substances (as provided for in the law), is even more pressing.
But according to Hart, it's not just that. What science actually says is also important: “They worry about brain development; many say that cannabis use affects the development of the prefrontal cortex, which happens later in life. There is simply no scientific evidence to support this claim. This is a theory that, because it is so often repeated, has become a fact, but there is no proof that the type of use humans make alters cognitive or brain development.” Therefore, if we only consider the facts, he said: “if medicinal cannabis is already legal in Portugal, the next step is to legalize recreational use.”
"Science is never right or wrong, it's a measurement of probabilities," Sabrina Carvalho, Signify/Fluence.
Moderator Laura Ramos took the opportunity to raise the issue of the risks people face by resorting to the illicit market for supplies, asking Alfredo Pascual, a data analyst, what is currently known about all this according to recent figures. Pascual began by thanking the members of parliament and, above all, the Chega party, praising their courage in debating this issue in an environment that, at first glance, could be hostile. Then, explaining that he is originally from Uruguay, although he has lived in Germany for many years, he referred to the example of his country of origin in comparison with Portugal: “Uruguay was the first country to legalize cannabis in 2013, including for adult use, and Portugal was also a pioneer when it reformed, and it was very courageous, but in the meantime both countries have become stagnant. And we understand that both were very careful in their approaches, because at that time they did what was realistically possible.” But theThings evolve and “now,” he summarized, “there are many things in both countries that we see that don’t make any sense, but the changes aren’t happening.”
Pascual took the opportunity to pose a question to MP Cláudia Estêvão: “If instead of using police and judicial resources to criminalize people who are sometimes victims, or to persecute someone for growing some plants at home, they were used to prosecute real crimes that are happening now in Portugal, wouldn't that be better? Wouldn't that be a more efficient use of state resources?”
The MP's response was quick but unclear: “We consider ourselves a right-wing party – we firmly reject the designation of 'far-right', we are against any kind of violence – and we don't fit that profile at all,” she said. Referring to Professor Hart's earlier statement that “politics doesn't care about facts,” she continued, explaining that, as a nurse and a scientist, she had sought evidence and prepared some notes. “On the one hand,” she said, “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention summarize that researchers disagree with the 'gateway' hypothesis and that there is limited evidence of increased use of other drugs after cannabis, and most users do not progress to hard drugs, on the other hand…,” she noted, pointing to a meta-analysis, “on the transition from cannabis to opioids, here the evidence says that frequent cannabis users are more likely to abuse opioids, but the quality of the evidence is low and does not allow for a causal relationship to be established.”

The special session on decriminalization took place before dinner, in the Víctor Santos Room, at Casa do Alentejo, in Lisbon, where around 140 guests from PTMC25 were present.
“Co-relation is one thing, causality is another”
Following that statement, the confusion among the speakers was evident. Carl Hart took the floor, making a point of explaining that this "is not scientific evidence, only correlations, and should be understood as such."
The Chega party MP, for her part, wanted to make it clear that the information she had gathered served as proof. “These are studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, therefore, this is evidence.” Continuing her notes, she also pointed to “longitudinal studies, that is, studies conducted over time, which say that cannabis use is associated with a higher subsequent risk of non-medical opioid use and opioid use disorder.” Then, speaking of “cannabis dependence,” she mentioned a “robust relationship between frequent, daily use of products containing tetrahydrocannabinol [THC],” adding that it is “associated with a risk of cannabis use disorder and psychosis.” Finally, she clarified that “there are robust systematic reviews to confirm and support this evidence – these are rigorous scientific studies supported by the scientific community,” she concluded.
“We already use many dangerous drugs, which are truly dangerous; and it cannot be said that the use of cannabis is completely harmless either, therefore I think the important thing would be to reformulate our relationship with these drugs, and we should do this with all of them,” MP Jorge Miguel Teixeira, IL.
The translator's silence created some communication difficulties, but despite not understanding the entirety of the MP's speech, Professor Carl Hart's body language during this presentation said it all. Clearly exasperated, he scratched his forehead and shifted in his chair, indicating that he understood what the MP was referring to. After the moderator emphasized that "there is a lot of scientific evidence that turns out not to be scientific," giving him the floor, the professor had his moment to clarify that, "in science, correlation and causality are two different things." Giving a practical example, he explained: "When it rains, we open umbrellas; but the umbrellas don't cause the rain, these two things happen one after the other – this is a correlation. And this is what happens with cannabis and psychosis – there are studies done, but conclusions can be drawn from studies done with inappropriate techniques. The techniques don't allow them to make causal relationships, but often they are made from..." data "Based on correlations. And this is inappropriate." According to Hart, "Scientific information is full of inappropriate conclusions. It's like saying that having cats during childhood causes psychosis, therefore if you had a cat when you were a child, you will suffer from psychosis," he reasoned.
Science has these things. As Sabrina Carvalho of Signify/Fluence said at the end of the session, speaking to the audience: "Science is never right or wrong; it's a measurement of probabilities."
And, in fact, the myth of “escalation of consumption”, discussed ad nauseam until the 2000s, it has long been demystified by several organizations that deal with addictions, and it has even been concluded that Prohibition is the biggest risk factor, since the influence of Dealer or stock shortages in the illicit market are two of the factors that lead consumers to experiment with other substances. However, this remains a recurring argument among those who are not sufficiently informed or up-to-date on the findings of sociological and behavioral studies on addiction published in recent years.
On the other hand, dand according to the American Addiction Centers, cannabis should not be considered a “gateway drugs" (gateway drug) since, among other things, this role is systematically occupied by alcohol and tobacco. Cas they repeat several times in this publication from the US National Institute of Health in relation to several drugs, individually or together: “The committee did not identify any systematic review of good or reasonable quality that reported an association between cannabis use and the onset of other substance use.”
Continuing the debate, IL MP Jorge M. Teixeira tried to calm things down, appealing to everyone to respect differing opinions. “We already use many dangerous drugs, which are truly dangerous; and you can't say that cannabis use is completely harmless either, so I think the important thing would be to reformulate our relationship with these drugs, and we should do this with all of them – mushrooms are not the same thing as heroin, and most people think they are. Therefore, we have to have these conversations and we must be patient.” The MP reiterated that he thought these conversations could have happened in the last eight years, while the Socialist Party was in power, but that didn't happen, therefore, “the solution now is to be intelligent and try to think about what we can do to improve things. In any case, there is a lot of room to improve drug laws in Portugal,” he stated.
About drugs and horses
The debate remained heated, with the Chega representative maintaining her position on the dangers of cannabis as a gateway drug, and Alfredo Pascual questioning "politicians' obsession with drugs and the related risks, when there are so many things just as dangerous, if not more so, around us." Giving a personal example, he explained: "I grew up surrounded by horses, and I love horses, but they can be very dangerous: I've had accidents with horses, and I have friends who have had many accidents with horses, and no one has ever considered criminalizing the use of horses because they can be dangerous. At the end of the day, if I want to ride a horse, knowing the risks, it's a personal decision, and as an adult, you are free to choose." He again referred his previous question to Representative Cláudia Estêvão: "Do you think it makes sense to use police and judicial resources to criminalize drug use? Wouldn't it be more useful to use them to combat other, worse crimes?"
The MP's response revolved around what she had already said: “Our concern is related to public health and the evidence. While not robust in many areas, it is robust when it says that among young people, when limits are not well defined, there is a greater propensity for consumption, and that cannabis consumption can lead, in particular, to opioid consumption. It may or may not happen, like everything else,” she concluded, explaining that “I can drive drunk and have an accident, or I can arrive home perfectly fine; it's a risk.” However, she continued: “Overdoses increased in 2023 compared to 2022, and in deaths with identified illicit substances, cocaine was present in 65% and opioids and methadone in 36% – the highest values since 2009.” This situation is not only a concern for Chega, but for everyone in the audience, since, as has been seen in the last 20 years, thanks to the experience we have in Portugal after decriminalization, overdoses are more prevalent when users do not have access to harm reduction programs. The emergence of new synthetic substances – much more potent than traditional ones – on the illicit market, as well as cuts in state support and prevention programs, are two of the reasons that have led to this increase.
“If we don’t regulate cannabis, we’ll never end drug trafficking. This is what we have now. It’s tragic because people have no other access: they need to traffic because selling isn’t allowed, buying isn’t allowed, and home cultivation isn’t allowed either,” Laura Ramos, moderator.
Cláudia Estêvão then insisted that “it is important to define a clear, not subjective, limit so that the authorities know what can be considered personal consumption and what can be considered trafficking – it could be 10 days or another period, a broader study will be needed,” and again pointed to younger people “who are in an immature phase of their lives.” According to the Chega party MP, “there is a sign here that they can do it and there is no problem, but cannabis is not harmless, and we have to play a role with young people. In recent years, no one has been arrested for consuming or cultivating it at home; that doesn't happen.”
This statement was quickly countered by Laura Ramos, who stated that "unfortunately, it does happen. There are still many people arrested for small amounts of cannabis or for growing a few plants at home." Responding to the deputy's concerns, she explained that "if we don't regulate cannabis, we'll never end drug trafficking. This is what we have now. It's tragic because people have no other access: they need to traffic because selling isn't allowed, buying isn't allowed, and home cultivation isn't allowed either. If we regulate, it ends up being better in terms of public health because we have better, higher-quality, and safer products," she stated.
Using Uruguay as an example, which legalized cannabis for all purposes in 2013, the moderator asked Alfredo Pascual what data can be drawn from that experience. Although he didn't have exact figures, Pascual explained that "there was an increase after legalization, but it was a trend that remained stable, in line with what was already happening before." However, in recent years, several sociological studies have concluded that cannabis use among young people decreased after legalization. We have already published some of them. here at CannaReporter. and second reported A few days ago, the German newspaper RND, the most recent “Drug Affinity Study 2025”, from the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) of that country, verified exactly the same trend: the decrease in consumption among young people since cannabis was legalized in the country, in 2024.
The war of numbers and data (not always scientific), as well as misinformation coupled with prejudice, which prevail when the subject is drugs, were highlighted in this debate. However, the openness shown by all parties to discuss the various issues was also evident, appreciating this opportunity to build bridges of dialogue that can last over time. In response to Laura Ramos' direct question about whether they would be available to receive and possibly evaluate other types of data and more information on this subject, both the Chega party deputy, Cláudia Estêvão, and the PSD deputy, Bárbara do Amaral Correia, said they were available and interested in doing so. The PSD deputy also said she was interested in better understanding the situation in countries where it is already legal in order to potentially make proposals and bring the matter to internal discussion within her party.
“I believe that policy rarely takes scientific evidence into account – particularly when it comes to adult or recreational use [of cannabis]. If it did, alcohol wouldn’t be treated so differently from cocaine or heroin,” Carl Hart.
For his part, the Liberal Initiative deputy, Jorge Miguel Teixeira, promised to “ask” or to take the discussion (even if it is internally) the list of diseases for which medicinal cannabis can be prescribed in our country – and only as a last resort. This promise came in response to questions raised by several members of the audience, and supported by Alfredo Pascoal, regarding the limitations of that list, which excludes many conditions for which there is already scientific evidence that cannabis can be effective and, in certain cases – such as insomnia – even more effective than some conventional treatments.

Laura Ramos (CannaReporter® / PTMC), Jorge Miguel Teixeira (Liberal Initiative), Carl L. Hart (Columbia University, NYC), Alfredo Pascual (Analyst), Bárbara do Amaral Correia (Social Democratic Party) and Cláudia Estêvão (Chega Party).
Finally, from a scientific perspective, Professor Carl Hart stated: “Politicians have to be elected; I don’t have that problem, I’ve never been elected; but they are, and they should do what they think their voters want; therefore I understand why politicians behave as they do. But we do different things and pretend they are related – science and politics – or we pretend that [scientific] evidence serves as a basis of information for politicians. Sometimes it does, but often, in the field of drugs, it doesn’t. And this is a fact. So sometimes, during these conversations, it seems like we are literally speaking different languages, we don’t even talk about the same thing, which is difficult for everyone involved. But I believe that politics rarely takes scientific evidence into account – particularly when it comes to adult or recreational use [of cannabis]. If it did, alcohol wouldn’t be treated so differently from cocaine or heroin,” he stated.
Showing his understanding and also expressing his frustration and sadness, he lamented: “I live in a country where scientific evidence is being thrown out the window, a time when society says 'I don't want to know about your evidence'... But I have dedicated my life to producing scientific evidence.” To conclude, he made a hopeful appeal: “I hope that one day politicians will truly incorporate this evidence – the science – to make their decisions.”
And so, between frustration and hope, the debate concluded, making it clear that there are differing opinions, sometimes manifestly opposed, but it is possible to discuss drug policies on the basis of respect and in a constructive manner, something extremely necessary in an increasingly polarized society.
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[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Margarita has been a regular contributor to CannaReporter since its inception in 2017, having previously worked for other cannabis-focused media outlets such as Cáñamo magazine (Spain), CannaDouro Magazine (Portugal) and Cannapress. She was part of the original team for the Portuguese edition of Cânhamo in the early 2000s and was part of the organisation of the Global Marijuana March in Portugal between 2007 and 2009.
She recently published the book “Canábis - Maldita e Maravilhosa” / "Cannabis - Cursed and Wonderful" (Ed. Oficina do Livro / LeYA, 2024), about the history of the plant, its ancestral relationship with Humans as a raw material, an entheogen and a recreational drug, as well as the infinite potential it holds in medical, industrial and environmental terms.










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