The Mexican government has announced that it will allow the parents of two girls suffering from an unspecified illness to import a medical cannabis oil derivative for use in treating the ailments.
The country’s Federal Health Commission released a statement Monday stating that it had approved the parents’ request to import hemp oil into Mexico.
In November 2015, the Mexican Supreme Court issued a decision stating that individuals should be allowed to grow and possess cannabis for personal use. The ruling did not change any laws, but did create a legal basis for future ones.
In December, the government granted permits to the four individuals who had won the Supreme Court case to grow cannabis for personal consumption. A judge also ordered last year that the government grant an import permit to the parents of a girl who suffers from an intractable form of epilepsy.
Although marijuana remains illegal in the country, the latest permits indicate that the government is likely to issue further permits before being ordered by courts to do so. The health commission said it is seeking to “accelerate patients’ access to alternative treatments.”
The government also kicked off a formal debate on cannabis last month.