Brazil's medical cannabis sector hit by training gap and illegal police raids

The use of medical cannabis in Brazil is rapidly expanding, with estimates of about 873,000 patients in 2025 and potential growth to 6.9 million. The market could reach roughly R$ 9.5 billion if regulations solidify and access widens. Despite this growth, the country lacks a formal technical education system for professionals in cultivation, processing, extraction, quality control and product development. Private initiatives such as ACCURA’s ACCURA ENSINA program are offering courses on soil management, extraction techniques and natural agriculture to fill the void, while calling for public‑private investment to build a national training capacity.

Legal challenges also confront the sector. Authorized cultivator Derick Rezende, who holds a judicial permit and leads the therapeutic association SouCannabis, was arrested during a May 7, 2026 police blitz despite transporting only 52 clones—well below his authorized limit of 120. A judge later declared the detention illegal and ordered his release. On May 28, a second operation by the state narcotics police raided Rezende’s farm without a warrant, detaining five people and seizing plants, causing loss of valuable medicinal material. The actions were deemed unlawful by the courts, highlighting tensions between law‑enforcement practices and the legal framework for medical cannabis cultivation.