Medicine and psychiatry entities reinforce opposition to decriminalization

Through a joint note, the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) and the Brazilian Psychiatric Association (ABP) reinforced their position against the decriminalization of marijuana in the country. Published this Tuesday (5), the note was motivated by the resumption of the trial at the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on the topic.

The STF will resume judging the matter this Wednesday (6). The case returned to the plenary last year, after almost 8 years apart, and already has five votes in favor and only one against for the decriminalization of marijuana.

In August 2023, the analysis was suspended after minister André Mendonça requested a review of the process and at the end of the year he returned the action for the return of the trial.

Ministers Alexandre de Moraes, Edson Fachin, Gilmar Mendes (reporter of the action), Luís Roberto Barroso and Rosa Weber, retired minister and former president of the Court, have already voted in favor of releasing the drug. Only Cristiano Zanin has voted against so far.

For the CFM and ABP, the topic must be debated in Congress. Furthermore, the entities draw attention to the “impact of drug consumption, the increase in the number of traffic accidents, homicides and suicides and the strengthening of drug trafficking”.

“Instead of decriminalizing drugs, the focus should be on investing in combating drug trafficking and strengthening preventive and educational actions to discourage marijuana use,” say the entities.

In a previous statement, in August last year, the entities warned that marijuana “causes very serious dependence, with very important physical and mental damage, including precipitating psychotic conditions (some not reversible) or aggravating symptoms and the evolution of patients suffering from mental comorbidities of any kind. nature, making its treatment difficult, leading to lifelong harm.”