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There is a new organization in Argentina that is responsible for cannabis.
The organization oversees projects that are related to the research and development of cannabis. The group is also making rules so Argentina can enter the profitable market of exporting cannabis.
Gabriel Gimenez is the director of the ARICCAME cannabis organization, which was started in January this year. He says that there are currently 51 different research and development projects happening around Argentina.
Argentina wants to build up its domestic medical cannabis market as well as export the drug.
The government has told health insurance companies to help pay for medicine made from marijuana. People can get cannabis products at pharmacies in the country, but they can’t use the drug for fun.
Argentina hopes that the cannabis industry creates 10,000 jobs, and earns \$500 million in domestic sales and $50 million in exports by 2025.
A company called Pampa Hemp was the first private business in Argentina authorized to produce cannabis for medical use.
The co-founder of Pampa Hemp, Pablo Fazio, says that there are many different types of products that can be made from cannabis. He thinks the cannabis business will be a big, positive change for the country.
Countries in Latin America are starting to change their rules about cannabis. Uruguay was the first country in the world to allow marijuana in 2013. Paraguay, like Argentina, wants to grow cannabis for medical use.
Vocabulary
- Organization – a group of people with one purpose; an agency; a society; company
- Responsible for – to be officially in charge of something; in control of; held accountable for something
- Cannabis – a plant that is often smoked to relax, get high or reduce pain; marijuana
- Oversee – To supervise or watch over something; to make sure a job or activity is done correctly; manage
- Related to – connected to; with regard to; associated with; about
- Research and development – activities/processes that companies do to innovate/create new products and services; A process of learning and creating new things
- Profitable – Makes money; earns a profit; brings in a lot of new money to a company;
- Market – the field/area/place of trade or business; the buying/selling of a specific product or service; a category of potential buyers
- Export – to send goods/products to a different country to sell
- Director – boss, leader, head, manager
- Build up – to create or make something bigger over time; become stronger; grow
- Domestic – inside the country; not foreign;
- Medical – relating to medicine or health care; the practice of medicine or the treatment of illness and injuries
- Health insurance – insurance for the cost of medical treatment if you are ill or injured; a service that helps you pay for doctors, medicine and hospital visits
- Medicine – something, usually a liquid or a pill, that helps illness or injury; a pill, injection or liquid that helps you when you are sick
- Marijuana – cannabis; a plant that is often smoked to relax, get high or reduce pain;
- Pharmacy – a store where medicines are prepared and sold; a shop in which you buy medicine
- Industry – business field; area of work or business; type of business
- Earn – to get something (usually money) because you worked, sold something, or helped someone; to receive
- Authorize – to give permission; approve; someone says you can do it
- Medical use – the use of something to treat illness; to use something as medicine
- Co-founder – someone who starts a company with one or more other people
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What is your opinion on the legalization of cannabis for medical use?
- Do you think the cannabis industry has the potential to create jobs and boost the economy?
- What do you think are the potential benefits and drawbacks of legalizing cannabis for recreational use? How can the government regulate the industry to make sure it’s safe?
Original Story
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