Colombia is the second-most populous country in South America after Brazil, and the third-most populous in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico. Agricultural land in Colombia was reported at 38.5 %, according to the latest World Bank data.

Colombia decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis in 2012 and in December 2015, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a decree legalizing medical cannabis, approving the commercial cultivation, processing, and export of medical cannabis products excluding flower.

Population 2022 (m)51.9
GDP 2022 (US$ b)343.6
Share of total farming land38.5%
Health expenditure (% of GDP)9%
Total medical cannabis patients 2022 (est.)5,000
Total of potential cannabis users (est.)4.5%
Source: World Bank/Prohibition Partners



The government started handing out the first licenses to grow, process and export medicinal cannabis in 2017. There are four types of cannabis licenses:

  1. Manufacturing of cannabis derivatives, issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection
  2. Using of the seed for sowing, issued by the Ministry of Justice and Law
  3. Cultivation of psychoactive cannabis plants, issued by the Ministry of Justice and Law
  4. Cultivation of non-psychoactive cannabis plants, issued by the Ministry of Justice and Law.

In 2020, the Colombian government issued a total of 968 licenses for hemp cultivation and the number of licenses for psychoactive cannabis cultivation added up to 642 while there were 116 licenses to manufacture medical cannabis-based products. Colombia reached the milestone of over 3,000 patients.

Latin America and the Caribbean Cannabis Markets

In 2021, the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection published a draft, related to Law 1787 and Decree 613 from 2017, aiming to facilitate access to cannabis products for Colombians and allowing companies to export dry flower. According to the draft, Colombian National Institute for Food and Medicine Surveillance (INVIMA) would be responsible for license awarding while the National Narcotics Fund (FNE) would be in charge of supervising after licenses are given.

Sales of medical cannabis in Colombia in 2022 were estimated at approximately $6.8 million, according to Prohibition Partners, and the value of medical cannabis exports was $10.8 million in 2023, according to MJBizDaily. In 2023, the top destination for medical cannabis products from Colombia was Brazil with 32% or $3.4 million, followed by Australia with $2.7 million and Germany with $1.53 million.

The market value of medical cannabis is forecasted to reach $33 million by 2026.

Cannabis Cultivation and Manufacturing Business Plan Sample, Colombia

Colombia Cannabis Market

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