14 DAY TRIAL // A total of 23 US states now allow the use of marijuana, be it for recreational or medical purposes. Over the weekend, the drug was also made legal in the territory of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean.
Thus, it was on Sunday that Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla put his name on an executive order making it legal for people living in this US territory to buy and use marijuana and marijuana-derived products.
Word has it that, following Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla's signing of this order, Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health has 3 months to produce a report detailing how best to implement it.
Puerto Rico only legalized medical marijuana
The executive order signed by the Puerto Rican Governor only allows the use of marijuana to address the symptoms of ailments such as glaucoma, migraines, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and AIDS.
Having looked at several studies concerning the effects of this drug on users, Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla found that marijuana can, in fact, improve healthcare in Puerto Rico.
“We are taking a significant step forward in the area of health that is crucial to our development and quality of life,” the Governor explained his decision to sign the executive order.
“I'm sure that many patients will receive proper treatment that will give them new hope and high expectations of life,” he went on to say, as cited by Jurist.
At least for now, there is no news about the US territory of Puerto Rico at least considering the possibility of legalizing the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.
The Governor seems determined to have authorities closely control the sale of marijuana and make sure that the drug is only made available to people struggling with various medical conditions.
The order left Puerto Ricans a tad confused
By the looks of it, people in Puerto Rico don't quite know what to make of the executive order inked by Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla.
For instance, it is unclear exactly which type of illnesses the order targets. Besides, the Governor hasn't said anything about whether Puerto Ricans will get to grow their own marijuana or will have to import the drug.
One can only assume that these questions will be answered when Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health produces his report detailing the measures needed to implement the order.