The Puerto Rican hitmaker says cannabis is bigger than business, framing the plant as medicine, resistance, and a way to challenge the machine that taught people to fear it.

Like many others, Farruko’s first encounter with cannabis didn’t come through a prescription or a dispensary. It came from the streets, from music, from leisure. It happened at home. Among friends, among chords, in the haze of long nights where a blunt of krippy or kush could go around until everyone’s eyes were too heavy to stay open. A relationship between the Puerto Rican artist and the plant that, if we wanted to, we could find in bars that have already become part of Latin reggaetón’s DNA: Los maleantes quieren krippy / toas las babies quieren kush, or Ya no quiere amor, quiere marihuana. (The hustlers want krippy / all the girls want kush or she doesn’t want love anymore, she wants marijuana.)

What began as a recreational experience gradually evolved over time, revealing another dimension. Cannabis was present in both artistic processes and chill moments, but also—perhaps without him fully realizing it—during moments of healing: medicinal treatments, slowing down, meditation, letting go. He discovered a sense of pause, introspection, and the physical relief offered by this alternative medicine, which helped him manage several health issues at a moment when, he says, taking too many pills was already doing more harm than good. Where some still see stigma, Farruko saw opportunity.

Once he understood that, the Puerto Rican artist—a Latin Grammy winner, recognized by the Billboard Latin Music Awards, and a musical collaborator with names like Daddy Yankee, Sean Paul, Bad Bunny, and Arcángel—decided to turn his personal and spiritual experience into a public defense of medical cannabis. He did it from Puerto Rico, and against years of stigma.

That intersection gave rise to Carbonnabis, his medical cannabis brand developed in and for Puerto Rico, with ambitions to reach the world: to make its way into homes, dispensaries, and the hands of anyone who may need the plant’s healing potential. Rather than a celebrity whim to add another asset or simply enter a rapidly growing industry, Farruko approached it as something personal, medicinal, and educational.

In conversation with High Times, Farruko talks about spirituality, natural medicine, prejudice, Puerto Rico, the industry, and reggaetón with a conviction that is unexpectedly clear: defending the plant, he says, can also be a way of waking up.

Farruko and cannabis: From recreational use to medical

For Farruko, his relationship with cannabis was once part of everyday social life, part of the same urban culture that also shaped the music he was creating at the time. “I obviously used it recreationally before this whole shift toward making it fully medicinal began,” he says.

What changed over time wasn’t just his personal relationship with marijuana, but also the context surrounding it. As different countries began regulating its medical use and scientific research started to expand, Farruko found himself entering a very different conversation. It was no longer only about leisure or social culture, but also about health, treatments, and regulation.

But before getting publicly involved in that space, he decided to educate himself. “It took me a while to really study it, dive into the topic, learn about it, and find the right people to develop this project with,” he explains, referring to the creation of the brand.

The process wasn’t without doubts. The artist knew his decision could draw criticism, especially after the personal and spiritual changes he had gone through in recent years, which he had openly shared with his audience.

“I definitely had my doubts before getting into it, of course, because I’m coming from a moment in my life where I’ve changed a lot of things,” he says.

That learning journey ultimately transformed what could have been just another business venture into something far more personal. In his case, Carbonnabis does not appear to be an opportunistic venture within a growing industry, but rather the result of closely observing the shift in social perception around cannabis and the increasingly clear role it is starting to play in the medical field.

Experiencing the effects of medical cannabis firsthand

Behind Carbonnabis there’s more than just an understanding of the market or a reflection of the cultural shift around marijuana; there’s also a very tangible physical experience.

Farruko says that for years he lived with several health issues: recurring muscle pain, constant inflammation, episodes of gout, and difficulty getting proper rest. As often happens in these situations, treatment relied mostly on prescription medications. “I wanted to do it, especially because of my personal health conditions: I suffer from muscle pain, I have gout, and I get inflammation over the smallest things,” he explains.

Managing those symptoms meant taking pills frequently to control flare-ups and pain. Over time, however, the side effects began to take a toll.

“The excess of pills was already hurting me,” he recalls. “Every time I had inflammation, the pill I took would upset my stomach.” On top of that came another common consequence of high-stress routines and constant public exposure: rest became increasingly difficult. “I wasn’t sleeping well, and I started looking for alternative medicine,” he says.

It was in that context that cannabis began to take on a different role in his life. What had once been part of leisure or musical culture slowly began to appear as a possible therapeutic tool.

When asked whether he truly found a working alternative in the plant, Farruko doesn’t hesitate. That turning point—between the fatigue of pharmaceuticals and the search for a more natural medicine—would ultimately become one of the main forces behind the creation of Carbonnabis.

Cannabis as a ritual

Beyond its medicinal dimension, Farruko also describes his relationship with cannabis from a more intimate place. Not necessarily as a direct tool for writing music or altering his creative process, but as a way to slow things down, something that can naturally coexist with those activities.

“I use it to meditate, to think, to step away and have my own space, and, of course, to rest,” he explains.

In his account, something appears that many users recognize: the moment before using it as a ritual in itself. The simple act of pausing, preparing the flower, and stepping away from everyday noise. A gesture that, in the middle of packed schedules and constant stimuli, becomes an excuse to slow the pace.

“Your brain is juggling so many things all day…,” he says. And for him, that moment of pause begins even before anything is lit. “From the process of breaking it down, having it in your hands, rolling the blunt, you’re already doing it… it’s like therapy. It’s the perfect excuse to stop, think, and take a few minutes for yourself.”

In that way, a simple gesture starts to take on a different meaning. Not so much an “escape,” but a way of reclaiming moments of introspection. “Human beings rarely stop,” he says. “We’re always moving fast.”

Between the noise of the digital world, the pressure of work, and constant public exposure, that small moment of pause—for some almost invisible—can become, in his words, a way of listening to yourself again.

Carbonabbis: When personal experience becomes a medical project

That entire personal journey eventually took concrete form in Carbonnabis, the medical cannabis brand Farruko launched in Puerto Rico. Its name blends Carbon Fiber Music, his production company, with the word “cannabis.”

The project, he explains, is mainly aimed at patients seeking relief from everyday but deeply widespread conditions: stress, anxiety, and muscle pain.

The genetics developed for the brand are designed around that balance. Farruko describes it as a hybrid variety created to combine different therapeutic effects, with broad aromatic profiles meant to make the experience more approachable and personalized.

“It’s a hybrid plant that has that balance,” he explains. “With my plant, we’ve focused more on the medicinal side than the recreational.”

Alcohol, tobacco, and sugar are legal, so why isn’t cannabis?

The birth of Carbonnabis isn’t only about seizing an opportunity in a fast-expanding industry. For Farruko, it’s also about something broader: helping change the conversation around cannabis. “It’s more personal, and about educating,” he says. “People have demonized the plant a lot.”

In his view, that demonization coexists with an obvious social contradiction. Substances such as alcohol, tobacco, or even sugar—whose negative health effects are widely documented—remain part of everyday life with far less controversy.

“Everything in life, if you don’t use it the right way, will have consequences,” he explains. “But we see, for example, alcohol is legal, tobacco is legal, sugar—which is the most dangerous drug—is legal. It hasn’t been subjected to the same kind of campaign against it that marijuana has.”

He adds: “There’s also no moment where you stop. Someone who drinks often loses control; one drink turns into many until they’re being carried off the floor. I’ve never seen someone under the effects of cannabis alone, fighting or acting aggressively. Obviously, it doesn’t affect everyone the same way, but most patients and people who use it recreationally don’t behave that way,” he explains.

That double standard, he suggests, has deeper roots. If he had to explain why such a clear distinction exists between some substances that are not only legal but socially legitimized and marijuana, Farruko points to two reasons: “I think it’s big interests and double standards,” he says.

For him, the reasons are political, economic, and tied to powerful incentives. “Everyone has their own interests at play. That’s no mystery, and everyone is going to look where the business is. This is a fight that’s been going on for years, for centuries, I’d say, where the plant has been demonized.”

Access, democratization, and products designed for specific conditions

That shift in the conversation—from prejudice to education—is exactly where Farruko wants to position Carbonnabis. But beyond the cultural narrative, the brand also operates within the concrete structure of Puerto Rico’s medical cannabis industry.

Currently, Carbonnabis products are available in 68 dispensaries across the island, where patients can access different formats from the brand. The lineup includes flower, vapes, and edibles, and so far, the reception has been strong.

“Right now we have gummies, vapes; the quality we’re offering, people have really loved it. The reviews and feedback from the public have been incredible,” he says. In fact, demand has been so high that “it’s almost sold out already. We’re about to drop the second release,” he adds.

Upcoming launches will also include new vape models, new designs, different genetics, and edible products like chocolates. The strategy, he explains, is to maintain a constant rotation of varieties to meet the expectations of a public that knows the market well and demands quality. “We’re changing the strains all the time so people can always find something new,” he says.

One particular feature of the project is that the strains don’t come from existing commercial varieties. Instead, they were developed specifically for the brand. “These are strains that belong to us. It’s not like we took a strain that already existed out there with a name. This was built completely from scratch,” he explains.

Within that framework, Carbonnabis aims to make medical cannabis more available to patients through a more accessible approach, one oriented around the specific needs of each individual. The idea, he says, is that anyone walking into a dispensary can find a product designed for their particular condition. “So they have the opportunity to obtain a plant designed for their condition,” he says. “They can walk in and say, ‘Look, my joints hurt, I can’t sleep, or I have X condition, what do you recommend?’”

And for patients who don’t feel comfortable smoking, the range of formats opens up other options. “If the patient doesn’t like flower, then they have the option of a gummy, a drink, baked goods,” he explains.

Ultimately, the intention is simple: to move medical cannabis out of the territory of stigma and turn it into just another tool within personal health and wellness.

For Farruko, the potential was always there. Together with his partner Eli Estrada, he began developing the project some time ago. “We were looking for a way to do it because cannabis has always caught my attention, and I always saw its potential because it’s a flower. It comes from nature. It must have something that can help us, because nature is designed for that. I never bought the story that it was something bad. We just had to find the right way to use it. To understand it,” he says.

That way, he reveals what the main goal had always been: “I knew that this way we could help a lot of people. The vision was to enter this space and grow, because I think it has huge potential, and it’s something new for many countries where the market is just beginning to open.”

Puerto Rican sovereignty through local industry

The plants are developed in collaboration with First Medical, one of Puerto Rico’s medical cannabis operators. For Farruko, that decision also reflects a clear objective: strengthening the local industry.

“I did it with the full intention of helping farmers here and supporting cultivation in Puerto Rico, so the industry keeps moving forward on the island,” he says.

Looking ahead, the project also includes plans to expand beyond the island and eventually open its own physical dispensaries. For now, however, the focus remains on consolidating its presence within Puerto Rico’s medical cannabis system.

For Farruko, part of the reason Carbonnabis could take shape on the island has to do with how much the medical cannabis system in Puerto Rico has matured in recent years.

The artist lives there and has watched that evolution up close. Today, he explains, the island has a wide network of dispensaries, multiple locally cultivated brands, and a regulated system that allows patients to access specific products based on their medical needs.

Access operates through a regulated medical framework: patients must obtain a license accompanied by a professional recommendation, after which they can purchase different products within the system. “I really like the way the system works here, where everything is done through a license you obtain with a medical recommendation,” he explains.

That process also includes evaluating each patient’s specific needs, something Farruko considers one of the most important advances in how medical cannabis is approached today. “They check what conditions you have and recommend what type of cannabis you should use depending on your case,” he says.

The result is a market that goes far beyond traditional flower. In Puerto Rico’s dispensaries today, multiple formats coexist, designed for different patient profiles: edibles, oils, topical creams, capsules, and infused beverages. “It’s incredible how much it’s industrialized and progressed,” says the artist.

That context—an expanding industry, a regulated system, and a growing community of patients—is the environment where Carbonnabis aims to establish itself before considering international expansion.

Puerto Rico, Latin identity and local pride

The growth and momentum of the cannabis industry are undeniable, and, looking back now, they also seem almost unstoppable. Globally, of course, but if we turn our attention to Latin America, the progress stands out even more. Uruguay, after all, became the first country in the world to legalize marijuana, and that momentum can also be seen in places like Argentina, Colombia, and, of course, Puerto Rico.

The strong presence of the Latin community and its unique characteristics creates an interesting contrast with the markets that usually dominate the conversation, such as the United States or parts of Europe, especially when you look at the number of entrepreneurs emerging from these regions.

For Farruko, the goal was always clear: “I wanted it to be something grown in Puerto Rico, something that could come out of there, so the farmer could not only see opportunities within the island but also show the world that Puerto Rico can stand alongside markets like Los Angeles or Denver.”

In his view, the island doesn’t just have the musical talent that has turned it into one of the most influential cultural epicenters of the past few decades… it also “has the potential” in agriculture, business, and science to position itself within the global cannabis industry.

But before thinking about international markets or competing with long-established hubs like certain cities in the United States, Farruko believes the first step is strengthening what already exists at home. “Prioritizing Puerto Rico, because it’s my home,” he says firmly.

The logic, he explains, is simple: build a solid foundation locally before expanding to the rest of the world. “You have to be strong at home first before you can go out.”

In that sense, Carbonnabis also works as a way to reclaim local identity within an industry that is often dominated by large capital or narratives disconnected from the communities that historically lived alongside the plant.

For Farruko, the growth of the cannabis industry in Latin America is closely tied to those communities. “First, you have to understand who we are at the root,” he says.

Faith, spirituality and cannabis

If there’s one point where the conversation becomes more delicate, it’s when the plant enters into dialogue with faith.

In recent years, Farruko has spoken publicly about his spiritual transformation, a personal process that also marked a shift in his public and artistic life. Because of that, he acknowledges that his defense of medical cannabis can raise a few eyebrows.

“In my case, it’s always going to be something uncomfortable for the public,” he admits.

The tension appears especially among more conservative religious circles, where cannabis still carries decades of moral stigma. “Orthodox groups in that space, or religious people, you could say, tend to attack the plant and its use,” he explains.

However, Farruko believes many of those criticisms stem more from cultural interpretations than from concrete religious doctrine. “The Bible doesn’t specify anything about cannabis,” he notes. “It doesn’t say it’s bad. It’s simply not there.”

For him, the key is not absolute prohibition, but responsible use. A logic that also appears in many spiritual traditions through the concept of free will. “When something is used the right way, it can bring multiple benefits,” the artist says.

He also draws attention to what he sees as a broader silence—from both religious groups and society at large—about the consequences and risks of other types of widely accepted medical treatments. “Maybe science and chemicals are harming human beings, and this could help counter that in some way; help patients find a better quality of life without damaging their liver. We see how pharmaceuticals affect the liver and can really tear it apart. They relieve you in the moment, but the condition is still there,” he says.

He also points out that the relationship between plants and spirituality is nothing new. Throughout history, different cultures have used plants with psychoactive properties within rituals, ceremonies, and spiritual practices.

For Farruko, that historical context helps explain why today’s debate is often shaped more by recent prejudices than by a broader understanding of human traditions.

In his personal experience, cannabis has not only been part of his creative process or his moments of rest, but also a tool that helped him manage physical pain and periods of stress. “I know the benefits it has. I know how many people it has helped, and how it has helped me too.”

Defending that position publicly, he acknowledges, isn’t always easy. But he chose to do it anyway. “I’ve defended it with everything I’ve got.”

To explain his stance, he often turns to a phrase found in scripture that, for him, captures the balance between freedom and responsibility: “Everything is permissible for me… but not everything is beneficial.”

Between faith, natural medicine, public controversy, and ancestral traditions, Farruko ultimately offers a simple idea: the issue isn’t necessarily the plant itself, but the relationship each person chooses to build with it.

Cannabis as an act of positive rebellion

Toward the end of the conversation, Farruko returns to an idea that runs through the entire interview: changing the social perception of marijuana is not something that will happen overnight.

The plant carries decades—even centuries—of cultural, political, and media-driven stigma. A reputation that, as the artist himself notes, cannot be undone with speeches alone. “Once something gets a reputation, it sticks,” he reflects. “That’s the reputation the plant already has.”

In his view, transforming that collective perception is a slow process. It doesn’t depend solely on arguments or public debates, but also on real experiences that allow people to question what they have taken for granted for years.

“It’s going to be very difficult to change people’s perspectives,” he admits. “But it happens through actions, not through words.”

For him, that shift begins when people can approach the plant from a different perspective: by researching it, experiencing it, and observing its real effects, rather than the narratives that have dominated the conversation for decades. “By experimenting and proving that it’s different from what we were told,” he says.

In that sense, Farruko sees a parallel between cannabis, his music, and his own career. All three, he says, share something in common: they all emerged in contexts where questioning the established order meant going against the current.

“I see it as an act of rebellion against an oppressive system.”

But he clarifies that this is not a destructive rebellion. Rather, it’s one that aims to open conversations and expand the way we understand certain things. “The plant, the music, and my career are acts of rebellion,” he says. A rebellion that, in his view, has a clear purpose “on a positive level.”

More than confrontation for its own sake, the goal is to spark curiosity, invite people to question assumptions, and open space for new ways of thinking.

“Wake up… not everything we’re told is what it really is,” he says. “It’s always good to question. It’s always good to educate yourself.”

Within that intersection of music, spirituality, natural medicine, and public education, Farruko seems to have found a way to align his artistic present with a personal cause that, for him, goes far beyond business.

His musical present: Panama, memory, and the roots of reggaetón

Although cannabis now occupies a central place in his public discourse, Farruko still thinks about his present through music as well. In fact, one of the projects he’s currently preparing looks backward in order to better understand the origins of the genre he helped take to the world.

“I’m about to release an album that I recorded in Panama,” he reveals.

The choice of location is no coincidence. For Farruko, Panama holds a fundamental place in the genealogy of reggaetón, even though that chapter is often overlooked when the history of the genre is told.

“Panama was a pillar for recording reggae and reggaetón in Spanish,” he explains. “It planted the seed for what would become the reggaetón genre.”

The trajectory, as he sees it, is fairly clear. First came Jamaica, where reggae and dancehall were born, genres that would later become key foundations for many reggaetón classics. Then Panama, where the first Spanish-language adaptations began. And finally Puerto Rico, where the genre took the shape that the world recognizes today. “Puerto Rico gave it our essence, and that’s what we now know as reggaetón.”

With the new album, Farruko says he wants to do exactly that: refresh the collective memory and bring the roots of the movement back into the conversation. “With this album, I wanted to remind people of that history… to bring back that sense of orientation and education.”

Throughout his career he has experimented with different sounds—trap, Latin pop, electronic music—but Farruko insists that reggaetón remains the DNA of everything he does.

“I’ve never limited myself,” he says. That creative openness, he explains, doesn’t mean abandoning the genre’s origins—it means expanding them. “I’m a descendant of reggaetón. That’s what’s in my genetics.”

Over time, he says, his musical curiosity has only grown wider. “I’ve become even more of a fan of creating, of expanding my ear, my creativity.” But even when he explores new sounds, one thing remains unchanged: the rhythmic essence that gave birth to the genre. “Without losing the essence, which is reggaetón. The roots.”

Because, as he says with a laugh, there’s one element that always returns. “The tumpa tumpa is always going to be there.”

At the end of the day, that rhythm is more than a musical structure—it’s part of a generational identity. “We grew up listening to reggaetón, and it’s what allowed us to travel the world and become who we are today.”

For him, understanding where reggaetón comes from is also a way of protecting its cultural identity at a time when the genre has gone global and often loses sight of its Caribbean roots.

From the raw beginnings of reggaetón—an evolution that Farruko himself was clearly part of, alongside milestones like Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina in the early 2000s—to today, when the genre has become a global phenomenon that emerged from Latin neighborhoods and exploded in clubs across Europe and the United States, the idea remains the same: never forget where it all came from.

The lost value of music in the digital age

“What becomes popular isn’t always the foundation. It’s not always the one who cleared the path,” he reflects. “The people who come later, when the road is already paved, move forward so easily and comfortably that from the outside people say, ‘That’s the guy who did it.’ When that’s not really the case.” And adds: “That’s why it’s always important to give credit and bring attention back to how it all started, how the whole movement was born.”

Amid that reflection on the genre’s roots, Farruko also pauses to consider broader cultural shifts. “Over time, imagine… books… people don’t even like them anymore. They prefer them on an iPad or on their phone,” he says. “Times change, and we have to find ways to educate, to package information, and pass it on in the ways technology, humanity, and each generation keep evolving.”

Reflecting on the future of new generations—and of reggaetón itself—while trying not to sound “too conspiratorial,” Farruko believes we’re already living through a massive transformation that affects the entire music industry: the way we consume music.

In the streaming era, access is immediate. But something about the symbolic value music once had seems to have faded.

There was a time, he recalls, when getting your hands on an artist’s music involved an almost physical search: finding the cassette, buying the album, sharing it with friends. “Having a cassette or a record from your favorite artist felt like a treasure. Getting the music was hard. Seeing how your favorite artist lived was almost impossible because there were no social media showing their lives… So when you saw them, it was like seeing an alien, something out of this world,” he says, laughing.

That difficulty made every album feel special, something to keep and listen to for years.

“Those moments were appreciated more. It was more artisanal. Now with digitalization—which has helped us a lot, because I grew up in that world and my career expanded through social media and platforms—we still have to find ways to preserve information,” he says. “Over time everything evolves, technology keeps growing, and we move further away from the physical. We have to find ways to preserve those moments, those creations, so they keep traveling through time and new generations can keep discovering them.”

Today, with nearly the entire catalog of recorded music available in the cloud, that relationship has completely changed. And for Farruko, that also creates a new challenge for artists: finding ways to preserve those creative moments for the future.

Between the plant, the music, and the spiritual journey that has shaped his recent years, Farruko seems to have found an unexpected common thread: questioning the status quo. Whether through an album that revisits the roots of reggaetón or a brand seeking to change the conversation around medical cannabis, his goal remains the same: wake people up, offer perspective, and leave behind something more than just songs.

The Farruko of then and now

Before the conversation ends, one final question inevitably arises: what would happen if the Farruko of fifteen years ago, the one behind Chulería en Pote, the young artist taking his first steps in reggaetón, were to meet the Farruko of Carbonnabis today?

The answer comes with a mix of humor and reflection: “We’d probably laugh at each other,” he says.

In his mind, the encounter would be almost surreal: two versions of himself separated by years of experiences, success, personal crises, and spiritual transformations. “One wouldn’t believe where he ended up, and the other wouldn’t believe how it all started.”

The Farruko of today—entrepreneur, established artist, promoter of a medical cannabis project, and a public figure who openly speaks about faith and purpose—acknowledges that the road wasn’t without its hardships.

So if he could tell his younger self anything, it wouldn’t necessarily be about music, fame, or business. “I’d have a lot to say so he wouldn’t have to take as many hits as I did,” he says with a laugh. “It would be a pretty intense conversation.”

But, at the same time, he knows many of those lessons can only be learned by living through them.

Between music, spirituality, and his effort to change the conversation around medical cannabis, Farruko now looks back with the awareness that every stage—even the difficult ones—became part of the same journey.

One that, as he puts it, is still being written.

<p>The post ‘Cannabis Is an Act of Rebellion’: Latin Superstar Farruko on Weed, Healing and Fighting the System first appeared on High Times.</p>

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Old Continent, early 2026. The headline lands like this: “The Department of Health clears cannabis for four medical conditions.” Back in 2025, Spain joined the list of more than 40 countries that had already brought cannabis into their healthcare systems. And if that was the “first big step,” then what we’re seeing now, right at this moment, are the second ones.

So what actually changed?

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), the public body that regulates medicines and healthcare products, published a monograph detailing which cannabis-based treatments specialist physicians are now allowed to prescribe, and under what conditions.

“It’s news that’s been received with relief, and with a certain degree of respect,” says Jesús de Santiago, coordinator of the Cannabinoids Working Group at the Spanish Pain Society. “For years, we operated in a very ambiguous space. We knew there were patients who could benefit, but there was no clear framework to do things properly.” In practical terms, AEMPS brings order. It sets rules. It demands quality. “For the scientific community, that matters. It means working with standardized medicines, with controls and traceability. That’s the only way to generate reliable data and actually protect patients,” de Santiago adds.

Still, not everyone is convinced.

Some voices have described the new regulation as “very timid,” among them Manuel Guzmán, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid and a member of the Royal National Academy of Pharmacy. By most accounts, he’s also one of the most authoritative voices on cannabis in Spain. “The regulation establishes fairly restrictive conditions for access to and use of these medications,” Guzmán says.

From the patient side, the response has been cautious. One such case is Carola Pérez, president of the Spanish Observatory of Medicinal Cannabis, who lives with neuropathic pain and manages her symptoms with cannabis. For years now, Pérez has been one of the most visible social voices on the issue in Spain. She’s heard by public opinion, the scientific community, social media, and, at times, by policymakers.

“We’re still very concerned about physician training,” Pérez says. “We see very little interest in learning from colleagues in other European countries. The Department of Health still hasn’t explained how a specialist can be certified or trained to prescribe cannabis to a patient.” And she adds: “On top of that, we feel the program falls short. It leaves a huge number of patients out.”

For now, cannabis will only be prescribed for four indications: chronic pain, spasticity related to multiple sclerosis, severe forms of epilepsy, and nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

Cristina Sánchez García, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid and a member of the university’s Institute for Neurochemical Research, shares that diagnosis. She also sees the framework as “poor and very limited.” “It’s an important first step,” she says, “but the design has serious shortcomings (family doctors are excluded from prescribing, product options are limited, and so are the conditions that qualify) that keep us trailing behind the rest of Europe.”

According to Araceli Manjón-Cabeza, Professor of Criminal Law at the Complutense University of Madrid, what should come next is fairly straightforward. “Dispensing needs to actually begin,” she says. “Doctors need to prescribe, and pharmacies need to be able to prepare and dispense formulations so they reach the patients who need them. We’ll have to wait a few months to see whether the system truly starts working.”

Even acknowledging the real progress that’s been made, everything suggests that the next logical step goes beyond simply expanding approved indications. It also means doing things right, on a formal level. “We need clear protocols, specific training for professionals, and above all, real-world data,” De Santiago says. “We need to know which patients it works for, which ones it doesn’t, and why. If we don’t measure outcomes, we risk creating unrealistic expectations and losing a tool that, when used properly, can genuinely help certain patients.”

“What can be improved? Everything,” Pérez fires back. As a patient, she wants the best possible scenario, and real access to her medicine. “There’s still a huge educational and training effort ahead. Someone has to take responsibility for that,” she says. “It feels like no one has taken the time to look at what’s actually working beyond our borders and bring those lessons into our own regulatory model,” Sánchez García insists.

Beyond all this, the system as approved remains restrictive. Sooner or later, it will need to be expanded in the interest of patients, by broadening the list of qualifying conditions. “We also need to see whether the legal challenge filed by pharmacists against the Royal Decree goes anywhere,” Manjón-Cabeza adds. “Limiting dispensing to hospital pharmacies while excluding community pharmacies is hard to justify, and it harms patients. Community pharmacies already dispense medications that are far more dangerous than a magistral cannabis formulation. This only makes sense if you start from a distorted view of cannabis itself.”

Patients aren’t asking for miracles, they yearn for clarity and support. They want to know which treatments are best, what they can realistically expect, what the risks are, and who will follow up on their care. They’re also calling for regulated access, and above all, an end to stigma, so they don’t have to rely on informal channels. “At the end of the day,” De Santiago says, “what patients are asking for is entirely reasonable: to be treated as patients, not as consumers.”

“There was one line that did a lot of damage,” Pérez firmly states. “When people started suggesting that patients would divert their medication to third parties. Or resell it. How does it make any sense to think a patient would risk their own medicine, especially when it’s so hard to get? At what point did we start seeing patients as ‘criminals,’ even before it even begins? How is it possible that there’s no trust in the patient?”

Until the state stops looking at patients with suspicion, cannabis will continue to be administered drop by drop. The community now waits to see what the third big step will be in a landscape that, despite undeniable progress, remains open.

<p>The post The Cannabis Labyrinth in Spain: A ‘Timid’ Regulation for a Pain That Won’t Wait first appeared on High Times.</p>

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The moment that changed me happened in our office in Central Florida. I remember one Veteran who stayed behind after his evaluation, sitting on the couch in the lobby.  He talked about the years he’d spent trying to manage pain and PTSD with whatever prescriptions were handed his way. What surprised him that day wasn’t the assistance with paperwork or the registration process; it was the simple fact that someone was willing to guide him through it without asking for anything in return. He talked about never feeling judged, and feeling heard for the first time, and that someone truly cared about his well-being. It was the bill he didn’t have to pay that day. The look in his eyes that said, “Why are these people being so nice to me?” is absolutely priceless, and I wish more people would get involved to experience this overwhelming sense of appreciation.

He told me he’d been saving for weeks and that he’d been putting off getting certified for months because money was tight. The bills had lined up, and whatever was left at the end of each pay period was already spoken for. By the time he came to see me, he was down to less than thirty dollars in his checking account, and the idea of adding another expense just wasn’t possible. The cost of the appointment would have wiped him out completely.

When he realized it was covered, no charge, no catch, no “veteran discount” marketing gimmick, his whole body loosened. That was the day I understood how deep this problem runs. Access isn’t just about medicine. For many veterans, it’s about dignity, survival, and the basic ability to breathe without choosing which bill won’t get paid this month.

I’ve helped more than 8,000 people navigate medical cannabis in Florida. Of those, 900+ were veterans who received their certifications entirely free. Every one of those stories has shaped the way I see this work, and every one has made it impossible to pretend the system isn’t failing them.

What 900 Conversations Reveal About the System

After spending years in exam rooms and waiting areas with veterans, you start to notice the parallels. Different branches, different deployments, different decades, but the emotional through-lines show up again and again in the pauses, the way they brace themselves before speaking, the way exhaustion settles into a person over time.

There’s the Marine who hasn’t slept more than two hours in a stretch since 2007. The Army medic who carries pain in his back the way other people carry keys. The Air Force vet who can’t stand fireworks anymore but pretends for his kids. And the countless people who were given opioids for free, month after month, while being told cannabis was too “risky” or “unproven.”

The stories differ, but the obstacles don’t. The most common barrier is money.

State programs cost anywhere from $150 to more than $400 a year once you add up doctor visits and required fees. That’s a number plenty of people can absorb. But not someone living on disability income. Not someone who is one missed paycheck away from sleeping in their car. Not someone whose PTSD has cost them jobs, relationships, and a sense of normalcy the rest of us take for granted.

Roughly one in four people who don’t have housing are veterans. And their suicide rate is more than two times higher than that of others. Those facts alone should make financial barriers a national priority.

But they’re not. And that means the pressure ends up on the people who are already dealing with more than most of us realize.

What Veterans Have Taught Me About Relief

A lot of people assume this work is one-directional, that I’m the one helping them. The truth is, the lessons run both ways.

I’ve met veterans who walked into my office so tense they shook through the whole appointment, then sat in their car for an hour afterward because they didn’t want to be around people. I’ve met others who spent years white-knuckling their way through trauma because they didn’t want to become another statistic in a system they felt abandoned by.

And I’ve seen what happens when cannabis gives them the first moment of quiet they’ve felt in years. Not a miracle cure. Not a magic fix. Just enough relief to let them sleep through the night. Enough clarity to show up for their families. Enough calm to imagine a future that isn’t shaped entirely by the past.

People talk about “supporting veterans” like it’s a slogan. But when you’ve witnessed how hard they fight just to get their head above water, you understand why the phrase needs to be more than something printed on a discount flyer every November.

Why Cost Should Never Decide Who Gets Help

I think about that first Veteran in the lobby a lot. And the many since who’ve told me things like:

“I feel human again.”
“It saved my marriage.”
“My family sees and feels the positive change.”
“I can finally sit through a movie with my kids.”
“I’m not waking up in panic every night.”
“I’m sleeping through the night for the first time in years.”
“I‘m completely off all prescriptions the VA was sending me to HELP?”

These aren’t big or unrealistic goals. They’re basic human needs. And the idea that someone has to choose between that relief and paying a light bill is something no one should be comfortable with.

If our country is going to ask people to serve, we owe them more than appreciation posts and holiday promotions. We owe them a healthcare pathway that doesn’t feel like another gauntlet to survive. And until cannabis receives the federal recognition it deserves, we need people inside the system willing to remove the barriers that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

This is where nonprofits play a crucial role: filling the gap when essential care is out of reach. For veterans in Florida, that means eliminating the cost of accessing medical cannabis so they aren’t shut out of the program meant to support them. And the truth is, no one should have to build a nonprofit to fix something this straightforward. But until policy catches up, we fill the gaps where we can.

Where We Go From Here

After 900+ free certifications and thousands of conversations, my beliefs are pretty simple:

No veteran should ever have to pay for access to medical cannabis.
Not for the appointment.
Not for the paperwork.
Not for the State fee.
NOT EVEN their Medicine!

They’ve already paid more than enough through their service, their sacrifices, and the years many have spent trying to rebuild themselves afterward.

I don’t pretend cannabis solves everything. But I’ve seen what happens when veterans finally get legal access without the fear of financial cost. It’s calmer nights. More stability. Less reliance on medications that can dull more than they help. For some folks, it’s the first moment they feel anything is finally helping.

Real change happens when more people in this industry decide that helping veterans isn’t a marketing angle. It’s a responsibility.

They’ve already paid the price of service. The least we can do is stop making relief another thing they have to earn.

This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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Colombia just took another bold step in its public-health playbook by approving Decree 1138 of 2025, which authorizes the commercialization of cannabis flower for medical use by prescription in pharmacies, drugstores, and veterinary establishments, according to Swiss Info.

Said decree was signed by the Ministries of Justice, Agriculture, and Health, modifying Decree 780 of 2016. Until now, regulations only allowed the export of dried flowers or the domestic sale of derivatives such as oils, extracts, or capsules. From now on, the flower itself is also considered a “finished product” and can be dispensed with proper medical and sanitary authorization.

A historic shift (but only for medical use)

For context: since 2021, Colombia has been exporting medical cannabis flower, but selling it within the country’s borders was still off-limits. Representative Juan Carlos Losada (Liberal Party) told EFE that this step “corrects a mistake made by Iván Duque’s government (2018–2022), which allowed the export of cannabis flower abroad but not its sale within the country. What changes now is that in Colombia [the flower] can finally be considered a finished product and, therefore, sold to those with a medical prescription.”

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the measure seeks to “facilitate better quality control and guarantee patients access to safe and reliable treatments.”

The decree is also linked to Colombia’s new National Drug Policy 2023–2033 (“Sowing Life, Uprooting Drug Trafficking”), which aims to create regulatory frameworks that are “comprehensive, fair, and based on scientific evidence.”

Additionally, it includes veterinary applications, allowing the production and dispensing of cannabis-based preparations for animals.

Who’s overseeing what

The new regulation establishes a clear division of responsibilities:

• The National Narcotics Fund (FNE) will handle manufacturing licenses and monitor cannabis, its derivatives, and finished products subject to control.
• The Ministry of Justice will supervise licenses related to seeds, grain, and cultivation of both psychoactive and non-psychoactive plants.

Both entities will coordinate with INVIMA (health oversight) and ICA (agricultural oversight) to ensure traceability and prevent deviation into the illicit market.

Small growers get first dibs

One of the most talked-about moves gives priority to micro, small, and medium-sized cultivators: for the next two years, they alone will be allowed to supply the domestic market.

The Ministry of Justice also has five months to design a simplified licensing system that eases their integration into the legal market.

According to the government, “the transitional measure is reasonable and proportionate, as it strengthens the national pharmaceutical and agro-industrial sectors while guaranteeing supply and fair participation of local producers.”

However, sociologist and activist Estefanía Ciro Rodríguez, director of the group A la Orilla del Río, warned: “I think they should be stricter and clearer in their positive discrimination toward those who have been victims of illegal markets.”

More research and quality control

The decree extends non-commercial research licenses to 24 months, giving universities and laboratories more time to study the plant’s therapeutic uses.

Besides, it also sets a new category for low-THC products, taking them off the controlled-substance list and paving the way for more science-backed, non-psychoactive formulas.

Finally, the decree lays out rules for magistral preparations (for both human and veterinary use), that must be made in licensed facilities by qualified pharmacists using Colombian-grown ingredients only (no imports allowed).

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Across news sites, TV screens and radio shows, one headline stands out, the kind that makes noise: Spain joins the list of more than forty countries that have integrated cannabis into their healthcare systems. It will be for medical use only and dispensed exclusively in hospitals. This regulatory leap is being hailed as a guarantee of safety for patients and users.

However, for those who have spent years fighting for legalization, the new decree feels “too restrictive.” It will only be prescribed when traditional treatments no longer work. It is progress, yes, a rule that opens the path forward. But the struggle continues.

“The way I see this decree,” says Carola Pérez, president of the Spanish Observatory for Medicinal Cannabis, patient and full-time activist, “is that finally, and despite facing a lot, a lot of resistance from medical associations, some scientific societies and even parts of Spain’s parliament, we can celebrate.”

Throughout this long back-and-forth journey, full of turns and ideas, Pérez was invited to join a subcommittee of experts and, she says, revealing part of the backstage, “it was like starting a soccer match with the referee already bought.” Over these years of struggle, the activist lived through surreal moments, took hits from every side and, riding on the results, feels satisfied for having managed to “get a foot in the door so they can’t close it again.” What comes next? Breaking stigma and giving shape to legal uncertainty.

Under the new decree, patients will not have access to the cannabis flower, but they will have access to compounded formulations, standardized preparations distributed free of charge in public hospitals within the national health system. “The hard part and the trick is figuring out how to actually reach it,” Pérez admits, “because all across Europe, public hospitals are being privatized.”

In addition, some users fear bottlenecks with the waiting lists and are still waiting for clear guidelines on which conditions and symptoms will qualify. “But it’s a big first step,” says Pérez, caught somewhere between doubt and celebration, media appearances and everyday life. “Until the very last moment, I was trembling, afraid they’d make a sudden U-turn.” And so, the first major milestone is this: cannabis has officially entered the healthcare system.

In that regard, Guillermo Velasco, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and researcher of cannabinoids’ anti-tumor effects on brain cancers, sees the news as a “major step forward compared to the previous situation” and “the first stone on which to carve a path.” At the same time, Velasco calls for broader access and the democratization of prescriptions so that they are not limited to specialists but can also be issued by general practitioners.

“It could end up making access difficult for patients,” he explains, “because this medication has to be dispensed in hospital pharmacies, which might create bottlenecks if there is high demand and few specialists to handle it. And then there’s the problem of big cities: in smaller ones, it might be even harder to get cannabis.”

Even so, the researcher values the “step forward” and firmly believes that progress can be made toward “a less strict regulation.” After years of stigma and marginalization, regulated and quality-controlled medical cannabis now stands as the beginning of a meaningful solution for patients.

For his part, Manuel Guzmán, also a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and member of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy, thanked the government, the Ministry of Health, the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices, and the political parties that supported the initiative.

“We hope the program reaches patients, that it truly helps them, and that it allows us to keep advancing in this field in our country,” Guzmán says. “These are patients with chronic, highly debilitating diseases who are in need of new therapies, and this could help them. And of course, it could remove the stigma and the legal and medical uncertainty they currently live in.”

Still, he acknowledges there are two sides to this coin, one of them being restrictive. “Dispensing will take place exclusively in hospital pharmacies, not in community ones, and preparations will be limited to compounded formulas, with herbal cannabis not being allowed. Hopefully, all this will improve in the future. My evaluation is positive, with the wish that things keep getting better over time,” concludes the researcher.

Formally, Spain’s Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree regulating the use of medical cannabis within the national healthcare system, a measure born from years of struggle and, as the main voices say, still open to improvement. “We’ll keep working to broaden it as much as possible,” Pérez concludes. Thus, another page is written in the winding history of medical cannabis in Europe.

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Everything seemed on track… until it wasn’t. Germany made history as the European country that went furthest with cannabis regulation, both on the recreational and medical fronts. In no time, record-breaking imports rolled in, the market expanded, and thousands of patients found relief thanks to easier access. Legalizing medical cannabis opened up economic opportunities, but it also meant concrete improvements in quality of life, especially for those who depend on this treatment.

Among those advances came telemedicine: the option to consult with doctors online and get prescriptions without ever having to set foot in a doctor’s office. On top of that, pharmacies handled distribution, sometimes even offering home delivery. For a while, everything seemed to be running smoothly.

But now the Ministry of Health, led by Nina Warken, has hit the brakes. Their official reasoning is this: they fear the system’s flexibility is being abused by recreational users masquerading as patients. Against that backdrop, the government introduced a draft bill to restrict online prescriptions and ban home delivery of cannabis flower. The draft was withdrawn from the cabinet on September 10 and is expected to be reconsidered on October 8, 2025, according to Business of Cannabis.

In-person checkups, or nothing at all

The initiative requires patients to attend in-person appointments at least once every quarter and to pick up their cannabis flower directly from pharmacies, explained Franziska Katterbach, partner at Oppenhoff law firm.

In practice, this would mean the end of online consultations and home delivery, two mechanisms that had expanded access to treatment, especially for people living in rural areas or those with limited mobility.

The Health Ministry is, basically, pushing for less reliance on digital platforms and stronger in-person relationships between doctors and patients. Critics, however, warn that this would especially harm the very groups mentioned above, since they’d lose a channel that ensured continuity of care without costly—or travel that is physically impossible. That being said, they claim that, instead of killing telemedicine altogether, the government should keep it alive but tighten oversight.

Several experts argue the bill ignores the fact that safeguards against abuse are already in place. As Katterbach pointed out, current law already bans automated prescription systems without physician oversight, minimizing abuse risks. In other words, the existing legal framework already blocks bots or algorithms from prescribing cannabis without professional supervision. So why ban it altogether instead of just tightening controls?

Opponents argue this measure isn’t evidence-based, but rather a step backward fueled by political suspicion. Sure, import numbers have gone up, but that doesn’t necessarily imply telemedicine is being massively exploited by recreational users.

Legal tensions: What about European law?

Meanwhile, EU law guarantees doctors the right to practice freely, patients the right to access treatment, and services the right to circulate without barriers across member states. If Germany tightens the screws too much, those guarantees could come into direct conflict with the new restrictions.

This shows how the debate has gone beyond health policy, moving to the legal arena. Several experts warn that the bill could undermine basic principles of European law. Besides, it would also limit the professional autonomy of German doctors, forcing them into stricter conditions than their colleagues elsewhere in the EU.

Katterbach explains that this move could run counter to the principles of the EU single market and the freedom to provide services under Article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. She also warned that such restrictions would only be valid if justified by an overriding public interest; something that, in this case, doesn’t apply.

The problem is easy to spot. If Germany clamps down on telemedicine for its own doctors, patients could simply turn to neighboring EU countries where the practice remains legal. Those prescriptions would still be valid in German pharmacies, putting local physicians at a disadvantage compared to their foreign peers.

Germany, don’t let us down

In the end, the measure looks more like a step backward—based on suspicion and shaky assumptions, with little evidence to back them up—than an effective response to the regulatory challenges of medical cannabis. Katterbach herself summed it up clearly: “Telemedicine should be promoted as a modern model of care, not restricted.”

Germany stunned the world with its pioneering regulation, but now risks losing credibility with both patients and professionals. The key isn’t prohibition, but trust: stronger documentation, audits, or even a voluntary industry code of conduct could help strike a balance between oversight and access.

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At 10 a.m. on a sticky Bangkok morning, the lights flicker on at Siam Green. The scent inside the lounge is a mix of citrusy buds and antiseptic alcohol—two worlds colliding in Thailand’s new medical-only era. A doctor in a crisp white coat sits at a small desk, prescription pad at the ready. Just a year ago, this corner displayed glass bongs and rolling trays. Now, a blood pressure cuff and thermometer dominate the space.

Before opening the doors, the staff gather for a quick huddle. They run through Standard Operating Procedures like a well-drilled team. ID checks, prescription verification, consultation flow—all must run smoothly. 

Budtenders, once the freewheeling guides of Thailand’s green rush, are now guardians of paperwork. “Fear at the moment is quite high,” says co-founder Gaurav Sehgal, recalling the shock that rippled through the industry after June 23, 2025, when Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health officially reclassified cannabis flowers as a controlled herb (prescription only) via a Royal Gazette announcement.

The irony is clear. While doctors must technically oversee sales, many have little practical knowledge of cannabis. This morning, a young budtender named Gib patiently explains terpenes to the in-house physician. “Indica and Sativa aren’t a true indication of sleepy or energetic effects,” she tells him. Sehgal chuckles: “Our budtenders are training the doctors.” The shift feels surreal, but necessary. Compliance has become the difference between survival and closure.

Banana Kush and Paper Souvenirs

By midday, the lounge has softened into a café-like rhythm. Soft hip-hop hums under the air conditioning as the first wave of tourists trickles in. Two backpackers from Europe approach the counter, excited by names like Laughing Buddha and Grape Stank. Their smiles falter when a clipboard slides across the counter. “You’ll need a prescription first,” the budtender explains. Their faces fall. “What? For weed?” They exchange nervous glances and decline, muttering they’ll “check out the shop down the street.”

Scenes like this play out daily. On tourist islands like Koh Samui, many dispensaries still sell without asking questions. In Bangkok and in Koh Samui, however, Siam Green insists on full compliance, even if it costs sales. “We lose a lot of walk-ins,” Sehgal admits. “But at least we’re building trust.”

Not everyone minds. Around 2 p.m., a regular named Preecha arrives. A former Muay Thai boxer, he greets the staff by name before sitting across from the doctor. “Back pain again,” he says with a grin. The consultation lasts two minutes. Chronic pain box ticked, prescription signed. Preecha strolls to the display jars and points to a quarter-ounce of Banana Kush. “Same as last month.” The budtender teases him: “At least now you get a paper souvenir, krub!” waving his slip. Preecha chuckles, unfazed by the added step. For loyal locals, trust outweighs hassle.

Prescription Only After Dark

As the sun dips low, the vibe inside Siam Green shifts. At 6 p.m. sharp, a staffer flips the chalkboard outside — Prescription Only After 6:00 PM. The message is clear: without a prior consult, there are no sales tonight. The hip-hop fades into background ambience, the lighting warms, and the lounge takes on the feel of a quiet clinic crossed with a cozy café.

A pair of American tourists wanders in around 7 p.m., unaware of the rule. They admire the frosty jars on display before a budtender gently asks, “Do you have a prescription with us?” Their confusion is instant. “Like a medical card? We’re just visiting.” He points to the chalkboard. The Americans groan and leave in frustration. “We bought weed on Khao San Road last week, no problem!” one exclaims as they push through the door.

Inside, the remaining patrons settle in. A couple of young professionals share a volcano vaporizer and a joint rolled in Siam Green’s custom rolling papers, the logo faintly visible on the white sheet. A group of backpackers sip CBD tea, chatting in hushed tones. Staff in soft green scrubs float through the lounge, part clinic staff, part hosts. The atmosphere is intimate, measured, and quietly defiant in its compliance.

The High Price of Staying Legit

The first 72 hours after June 23 were chaos. Sehgal sprinted across Bangkok looking for doctors willing to work. Salaries almost doubled overnight as dispensaries scrambled. Siam Green moved fast, hiring physicians for all five locations. They also pulled every unapproved edible from shelves, sacrificing nearly 30% of revenue. “We got squeezed from both sides. Lower revenue, higher cost,” Sehgal admits. But it was the price of survival.

Industry-wide, compliance has been inconsistent. Many shops still serve tourists under the table, gambling that health inspectors won’t show up. A few have been raided, but not enough to deter the majority. “Most people are just selling whatever they want,” Sehgal says. Still, he believes strict compliance is the only sustainable strategy. With thousands of licenses expiring at year’s end, only certified clinics may be renewed. Siam Green is already re-registering under the Traditional Medicine Act, even designing smoke rooms to meet clinical standards. Meanwhile, Thailand’s public health minister has signaled that cannabis could be returned to the narcotics list before the end of the year—a warning covered by the Thai Examiner.

Beyond paperwork, branding has been key to keeping customers loyal. Climate-controlled storage, potted greenery, and carefully sourced flower reinforce the store’s identity. Merch like branded T-shirts and custom rolling papers give patrons something tangible to take home. For many regulars, these touches carry as much weight as the product itself. “People want to feel they’re part of something real,” Sehgal says. In a market clouded by uncertainty, authenticity is Siam Green’s lifeline.

Still Standing in the Bangkok Night

By 3 AM, the store winds down. Prescriptions are filed into thick binders, each page a safeguard against inspection. The staff wipe counters, stack menus, and dim the lights. Outside, the chalkboard still reads Prescription Only, glowing faintly under the streetlamp. Inside, the last ember fades in an ashtray, leaving only the scent of citrus and clove.

Sehgal watches from the doorway as Bangkok’s traffic hums outside. “This doesn’t make sense…but we have to do it,” he says with a shrug. Yet his expression is calm, almost resolute. The wild gold-rush days may be gone, but Siam Green is still here—steadfast, compliant, and shaping what the next chapter will look like. In the quiet of the night, the lounge feels less like a dispensary and more like a promise: that playing by the rules, however absurd, might be the only way to endure.

Photos courtesy of Siam Green

This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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In recent weeks, a shocking headline has been making the rounds again: “King Charles uses medical cannabis to treat his cancer.” Some reports even mention a “small grow” at Highgrove along with oils recommended by Swiss doctors. So, what’s going on?

For many, cannabis is a trusted companion in the face of serious illnesses: cancer, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, chemo-induced nausea, insomnia, and more. It may not be a miracle cure, but it can soften the blow of aggressive treatments and improve quality of life.

In the United Kingdom, around 55,000 people already have access to medical cannabis prescriptions, using it regularly and under medical supervision. And, to the surprise of many, this may even include the Royal Family.

In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles III had been diagnosed with ‘a form of cancer’ during treatment for an enlarged prostate. At 76, the official statement said he was beginning regular treatments and would step back from public duties, though the specific type of cancer was never disclosed.

‘His end is near’: The tabloid tone that lit the fuse

Since then, the king’s health has remained under the media microscope. EDATV quoted a “source” who declared: “He knows his end is near.” Rumors swirl around signs of frailty—whiskey to dull the pain, a cane always nearby, mood swings, hospital stays—and whispers of alternative remedies to ease the suffering. Among them: the cannabis plant.

Both inside and outside the palace, whispers suggest King Charles may be using medical cannabis to ease symptoms linked to treatment, and even discreetly cultivating a few plants in a Highgrove greenhouse to benefit from their pain-relieving properties. Reportedly, the move was encouraged on the advice of a Swiss doctor.

Multiple reports have also noted that the monarch’s care is said to be overseen by Dr. Michael Dixon, a well-known —and often outspoken— advocate of complementary therapies.

Beyond the gossip which, according to outlets, comes from sources very close to the royal family, the theory aligns with a long-standing trait of the monarch: his openness to integrative medicine and plant-based remedies. And that’s where this story steps away from mere rumor and gains more context.

A love story between Charles and the plant

King Charles’s connection with plant-based medicine goes back a long way: organic farming, phytotherapy, and an openness to integrative approaches.

“The King has always had a very open mind when it comes to natural medicines,” a close neighbor shared. And added: “He’s cultivating a small amount of cannabis in the hope that its medicinal properties will ease his pain without sparking a scandal.”

This side of the monarch is both public and well-known. Cannabis culture lore recalls that back when he was still a prince, he was already championing “green” materials and practices, long before his coronation. Even within palace circles, he’s described as someone with a healthy lifestyle; attentive to conventional treatments, yes, but never giving up on his natural medicine cabinet.

His interest in organic farming and natural remedies is undeniable—something he has openly acknowledged. The bond with the plant even has its dates and places:

• In 1998, during a visit to a day center in Gloucestershire, Charles asked a patient with multiple sclerosis if she had considered cannabis under strict medical supervision. Calmly, he asked: “Have you tried cannabis? I heard it’s good for MS,” showing that, even back in the ’90s, he was aware of the plant’s positive effects on such complex conditions. It was an unusually candid gesture for the time—one the British press quickly picked up on. The patient later told The Guardian: “He asked me if I had tried taking cannabis, saying he understood that, under strict medical supervision, it was one of the best things for it…”
• In 2007, he was photographed next to cannabis plants in the Poison Garden at Alnwick Castle, an educational garden that keeps psychoactive species under lock and key for teaching purposes. Among the more than 100 species are cannabis, coca, and opium poppies. The scene reinforced the image of an heir fascinated by botany and the pedagogy surrounding plants.
• Four years later, in 2011, he unveiled an eco-friendly house at the Ideal Home Show featuring hemp insulation, part of his push for low-impact materials and bio-based solutions for everyday living.
• His wife, Camilla, has also shown interest in cannabis. In 2019, she stopped at the Swiss Cottage farmers’ market in north London to chat about cannabis-derived oils and their usefulness in chronic conditions. She said: “This oil is just fantastic. It helps so many people. I’ve spoken with individuals who had serious conditions like epilepsy and found real benefits.”

All of this weaves a coherent backdrop: if people today are talking about King Charles III and medical cannabis, it doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s the logical extension of a long-standing curiosity for the natural and the integrative, now being put to the test in the most difficult chapter of his public life.

Behind closed doors: Mood swings and work life at Highgrove

“Charles has always led a healthy life; that’s why the diagnosis angered him so much,” shared a palace staffer. Nothing unusual there. What did spark headlines, however, was the idea that the demands of this ancient-yet-modern medicine might be clashing with the monarch’s sharp reactions.

According to reports in Marca, the king’s mood has been mercurial: kind one day, irritable the next—especially if “the garden isn’t exactly as he left it.” For staff, they say, it was like “walking on eggshells.” When he is “off cannabis,” they claim, the king grows tense.

This factor, along with other issues such as wages “well below the national minimum,” physical exhaustion, and a worsening workplace climate, has reportedly driven 11 out of 12 gardeners at Highgrove to resign.

Other sources, however, cast doubt on such revelations and question the supposed closeness between King Charles and cannabis, though they stop short of outright denial. Kristina Kyriacou, former Communications Secretary to the then Prince of Wales, said the king will be “philosophical and curious,” adding: “He will have a blend — he will be receiving traditional treatment, but he will use the opportunity to use this to be more enlightened.”

Embracing both his obsession with the garden and the discomforts of a complex illness, word has it that Charles himself decided to start cultivating cannabis inside one of Highgrove’s greenhouses to better manage the pain.

A royal insider put it this way: he’s looked at cannabis as a means of fighting the disease and also of killing the pain the cancer is causing him. He is a very open-minded chap… But it’s nothing too large – I don’t think he’s going to start selling the stuff in the Highgrove House shop”, the staffer joked.

The King believes in and supports complementary treatments such as homeopathy, seeing that they could coexist with more conventional medicine. It’s not about replacing the medicine we already know, but accompanying it in search of holistic benefits.

Cannabis doesn’t discriminate

All of this shows us that neither illness nor relief discriminates—by class, by race, or even by crown. When pain tightens its grip, everything else loosens.

For a public and “pristine” figure like the King of England to be linked to medical cannabis brings something healthy: debate. The mere possibility of a head of state turning to cannabinoids points to a cultural shift: fewer taboos, more informed questions, and a therapeutic field that’s been legal and regulated in the UK since 2018.

Photo by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Disclosure: The claims regarding King Charles III’s alleged use of or cultivation of medical cannabis are based on unverified reports and secondhand accounts. No official confirmation has been issued by Buckingham Palace or other reliable sources. These references should be regarded strictly as rumor and speculation rather than established fact.

This article was first published on Elplanteo.com.

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If there’s one country with a contradictory relationship with cannabis, it’s Colombia. On one hand, medical marijuana has been legal since 2016, with the foundations for a thriving industry that already exports the plant to multiple countries. On the other hand, the same plant exported for medical purposes is not available to Colombian patients; and that’s without even mentioning adult use: Congress has tiptoed around the subject of legalization so many times we’ve lost count.

Last year, there were signs of change, with the proposed amendment to Decree 811 of 2021. The decree currently prohibits the sale of medical cannabis flowers in Colombia, and if amended, the flower could be legally available for distribution in clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. Currently, medical cannabis is only accessible through derived products. No progress has been made on this front since October.

Now, it seems, the wait could finally be over. The Colombian government has reportedly drafted a decree that would allow the domestic trade of medicinal cannabis flowers under prescription, according to El Tiempo.

Although the decree has not yet been published, it is already being discussed in the media by various actors, such as Congressman Juan Carlos Losada. In an interview with El Tiempo, the legislator behind the measure noted that while the move is positive, it comes very late.

“It should have been published by the first year of the government at the latest,” he said. “The regulations for this new decree are still pending, which could take more than six months, or a year. In that sense, it is very likely that the regulations will have to be implemented in the next four years, which leaves a clear uncertainty.”

Why so certain of this uncertainty? Because within this timeline, the proposed regulation could fall into the hands of the next government, which is still a mystery.

Legalizing the Sale of Medicinal Cannabis Flower in Colombia: What the Decree Says

Under the new regulation, Colombian patients would be able to access unprocessed medicinal marijuana flowers with a medical prescription. The decree modifies the concept of “finished product” under a broader definition that classifies the plant as suitable for “human or veterinary consumption” with prior authorization.

One of the most innovative advances included in the proposal is a 1% THC limit for domestic commerce. Most countries impose a 0.3% limit to differentiate hemp from psychotropic cannabis: now, in Colombia, medicines with more than 1% of the cannabinoid will be considered “specially controlled.”

Likewise, cultivation licenses for the foreign and domestic markets are being expanded, including “activities involving the import or acquisition, by any means, of seeds for sowing; sowing; harvesting; post-harvest; storage; marketing; transportation; distribution; and final disposal,” El Tiempo reports.

However, only micro, small, and medium-sized growers with licenses granted by the Ministry of Justice and the National Narcotics Fund will be permitted to cultivate the plant during the first two years after the decree is signed.

All in all, this measure represents progress and hope not only for national industries forced to compete in the international market, but also for thousands of patients who, until now, have not been allowed to enjoy the fruits harvested on their own soil.

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Colorado is known as The Centennial State, Denver is the Mile High City, and Fort Collins is the door to the gate to the Rocky Mountains. This cozy city is home to 20 dispensaries that cater to both adult-use consumers and medical patients, with the range and quality control cannabis lovers have come to expect […]

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