With the main purpose of taking advantage of coca and poppy plants in the medicinal, scientific and industrial fields, the national government drafted a decree that would allow the development of alternative use projects with this plant material.

The text, open to comments from citizens and interest groups until November 15, is focused not only on generating knowledge about the uses, benefits and potential of the plants, but also on promoting the productive and sustainable development of medicines, fertilizers, fertilizers, pigments, food, among other products.

The regulatory initiative would also allow the academy to develop new scientific advances and generate knowledge on biological components that can be used in legal productive initiatives, which would continue to position the country as a source of scientific knowledge on drugs.

The regulatory project, aligned with the National Development Plan and the National Drug Policy, establishes that the projects on the matter will be presented by public entities before the National Narcotics Council and will have the participation and association of ethnic or peasant communities.

This last provision will also allow communities to participate in productive projects where they were previously lagging behind and thus promote the economic development of their territories.

The draft decree was prepared in coherence with and respect for the commitments that Colombia has signed as a country through the international conventions on drugs.