Uruguayan fair ExpoCannabis will have its 1st edition in São Paulo in September – 07/25/2023 – Market

The ExpoCannabis fair, aimed at business involving the plant, will have its first edition in São Paulo in September. According to the organizers, more than 150 companies have already confirmed their presence.

The event is scheduled for September 15th to 17th at São Paulo Expo, in the south zone of the city. Tickets cost from R$95 to R$1,200, depending on the number of days and access level. The most expensive ones are for companies.

The meeting will bring together businessmen, researchers and those interested in various topics related to cannabis, such as planting, drug policy, food and beverage production, medicines —including for veterinary use— and use in the textile industry.

In addition to the booths, there will be debates on issues such as regulation, technology, drug policy and industrial uses of hemp. The lectures, which will be broadcast free of charge over the internet, will include the participation of foreign names, who will talk about how regulation was carried out in their countries.

This will be the first edition of ExpoCannabis outside of Uruguay. There, the event will have its 10th edition this year. “Around 40% of the public at the fair in Uruguay is usually Brazilian,” said Mercedes Ponce de Leon, director of Expocannabis in Uruguay.

Uruguay decriminalized the sale of marijuana in 2013, which led the country to develop an ecosystem of products related to the plant, both for recreational and medicinal use.

In Brazil, the medical use of cannabis is allowed, but the way to obtain the medicine is complex. The plant can only be cultivated by court order, for specific cases, which prevents the creation of a national drug industry with the product. Thus, the drugs end up having to be imported, which increases their cost.

Medicines made with the plant are used to treat illnesses and problems such as chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and depression.

“I had to have heart surgery and put in a stent. My leg turned black after the surgery. The doctors said it would take three to four months to get back to normal, but I used a cannabis-based cream and recovery came in a month and a half”, says Marta Echarte Baraibar, consul general of Uruguay in São Paulo. “We have to get out of the taboo and talk about the topic.”

Uruguay seeks to expand exports of cannabis-related products. Currently, the neighboring country has been exporting between 3,000 and 4,000 grams of medicine to Brazil per year. Brazil is Uruguay’s second largest trading partner, after China.

In addition to medicines, the organizers of the fair point out that there is also great business potential with hemp, a variety of cannabis that has a low THC content and can be used to create various products, such as paper and fabrics.